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Numbness after Shouldice surgery
Hi
Glad to have found this forum. I (45M) had a Shouldice surgery on a medial inguinal hernia 6 weeks ago and have lingering issues. I would be super grateful for some feedback what to expect generally in such cases (understand my individual outcome may be different).
The surgery was successful by the most important measure, aside from a slight burning sensation near the scrotum I am painfree. However two issues remain:
1) Numbness: According to the surgery report, he had to cut a branch of the ilioinguinals nerve. I now experience numbness in the area below the incision all the way to the scrotum and thigh and 10cm (4 inch) down the inner thigh. I find it disconcerting, have not gotten used to it. This numbness has not improved substantially since the surgery. The surgeon says I need to be patient for the nerve to grow back or for other nerves to take its function over time.
Is he being way too optimistic, given that the nerv was cut (thermo denervation) on purpose? If the numbness is not likely to subside signficantly, I would rather know now and make peace with the new situation.
2) Cremaster muscle: According to the surgery report, he split the cremaster muscle from its base to the abdominal inguinal ring. He said that this is standard for the surgery. Following this my left testicle is usually hanging very low, though I “encountered” it once being high before bathroom business. I suppose this is just a cosmetic problem even if I have a slight burning sensation in the scrotum as well.
Does this muscle grow back and function sort of normally again, with the testicle going back to ìts normal place? Or is this just the way it is going to be?
Thanks for any guidance on what to expect here, it would help me move forward.
Mark
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2 Replies
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I believe I read the cremaster does regain it’s function eventually in most cases
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Did you have the surgery at the Shouldice Hospital or was it done by somebody who trained there, or learned it elsewhere? Won’t help your problems, I’m just curious.
I had the tip of my finger surgically reattached and the nerves eventually grew back. It took a long time though. I don’t think that there is any way to speed things up besides using the affected part. So, accepting it and being glad for any improvement seems like your best option.
The low hanging testicle is a common effect of the Shouldice procedure, as I understand things. I don’t know what happens in the long-term though. I think that people just move on.
Good luck.
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