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Hernia repair on one side cause hernia on other side?
Just wondered if there was any information on this out there. An inguinal hernia pure tissue repair on one side , with some tension… would the pulling make the opposite side weaker, increasing the likelihood of a hernia on the other side? I know they put mesh to cover both sides sometimes, as a prophylactic measure… but the pure tissue repair doesn’t offer this protection, no?
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5 Replies
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I personally see it more like this: when someone is straining the abdominal muscles in any way pressure is exerted on both sides of the body. Considering the overall small amount of tissue involved in any hernia I cannot see why this pressure would be any different after the hernia. In fact even on the hernia side there is still the same pressure with a difference in the way part of the tissues then respond as otherwise no hernia would ever get any bigger…
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Is it possible that the “got hernia repaired only to get one on the other side” phenomenon is actually:
-Weakness exists on both sides, with greater weakness on side with original hernia.
-The “stuff” that would fill a hernia sac ends up concentrated on the side with the hernia, protruding through it and leaving less “stuff” (and pressure) to create one on the other side.
-Hernia gets fixed, that side becomes a strong point, not a weak one, so contents begin protruding through the next weakest point (the already weakened, but not quite broken, other side).In other words, it’s not a cause and effect relationship (repair = tear on other side) but more a question of a hernia on one side providing less opportunity for one to form on the other side?
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One month after the hernia on my right side was repaired (with mesh), I developed a hernia on my left side. There was no indication of a hernia on my left prior to having my right side repaired.
Obviously, not a statistically significant study. But, I find it had to believe this was just a coincidence.
As a side note: I had the left side repaired without mesh, because the mesh on the right caused so much pain that I eventually chose to have it removed. I have had no chronic pain issues on the left side.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by JamesDoncaster.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by
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There is no direct relationship. Repairing one side inguinal hernia will not affect the other side.
That said, there is about a 20% lifetime chance the other side will have an inguinal hernia, as it’s a very genetic problem.
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A doctor mentioned this to me but why should the pressure increase on the other side? I think they like to simplify things as if water was inside the belly…plus this doctor wanted to put mesh in and was making a good story for it..
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