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Looking at many studies, I get the impression that chronic pain rates for open mesh and tissue repairs are roughly the same, and higher in both cases than what I feel comfortable with. Some studies show better results for TEP mesh, although that doesn’t seem all that conclusive.

Clearly, these surgeries are something to be avoided other than for…[Read more]

Just posting to show the other end of the spectrum from the pain reports from the thousands of Shouldice procedures. Here is a material, described in the paper linked below, with a perfect record. No recurrences and no pain. 31 patients.

It is definitely tough to ignore the concrete, Individual stories of pain. They have impact, for sure.…[Read more]

There are quite a few instances of chronic pain on their reviews. Suppose it’s true that has to be weighed up against the number of operations and then it’s probably only a small minority. But thats true of most pute tissue surgeons. It’s such a dilemma and major decision. No wonder I go round in circles.

Really sorry to hear that, Bob. It’s very strange that both your testicles are painful. How would the surgery affect the testicle on the other side? Different nerves, blood supply, etc.

Do you know if your surgeon resected your cremaster completely?

I was leaning toward having a Shouldice procedure done, but I’m getting cold feet after reading…[Read more]

Have you spoken with surgeon at all about it for some medical guidance?

Discoloration of the penis/testicles is not uncommon from what Ive read.

I really hope it resolves soon for you.

Thanks for all the replies. Yes,report says there was a direct and indirect hernia found once I was opened up. Reading the report it doesn’t say any nerves were cut. It does say that the one nerve was injected with a nerve blocker to reduce pain. I also read this is common. The base of the penis and both testicles starting hurting a few days…[Read more]

Funny, I screwed up the title. It’s Abdominal, not American. I missed the tiny editing window.

I found the questionnaires on the ACHQC (formerly AHSQC) web site.

https://achqc.org/resources

Reproduced from the EuraHS form, apparently.

“Used with permission from the European Registry of Abdominal Wall Hernias (EuraHS)”

https://achqc.org/uploads/general_images/ACHQC_COMBINED_POSTOPERATIVE_ASSESSMENT_-_ENGLISH_-_6-22-20.pdf

EuraHS stands for European Hernia Society, apparently. The data is apparently collected and input to a database by individual doctors or their staff, then made available to anyone that wants to use it. A sample of a questionnaire would be interesting. I think that it is similar to efforts by the AHSQC.

This is from 2012 for ventral hernias. I…[Read more]

Dismissing chronic pain seems quite universal, certainly in UK. I’ve seen NHS and private consultants who say they refer you to pain clinic if you do get chronic pain.

One said he’s only had 1 case in last year then laughed and said but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen to you!

Thought that was callous and not to reassuring. That’s how light it…[Read more]

Currently supplementing with Raw Organic Fiber. Do you know the name of the name of the English surgeon? Please disregard my reply to you above. Site will not let me delete.

No

OPERATIVE FINDINGS: Large greater than 3cm indirect inguinal hernia with mild bulging of the posterior inguinal wall and no evidence of femoral hernia.

DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURE: The patient was placed under mild sedation, an ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal nerve block was performed with 8mL of 0.5% Marcaine. An oblique incision was made over…[Read more]

There was a study by Schumpelick and others which I cited a while back. It did indeed show a somewhat lower recurrence rate and higher pain rate when resecting the cremaster. The surgeries were performed at two different centers in Germany, so not exactly apples-to-apples.

It is bothersome that you can go back to the Shouldice Hospital in case of…[Read more]

I see what you are saying, though we must not make assumptions that there is inherently a problem between provider vs. patient perspectives. There *could* be, but we can’t evaluate whether that is the case unless we know the probabilities associated with various outcomes and the nature of those outcomes.

A drop in recurrence rate doesn’t just…[Read more]