Reply To: Hernia after Vasectomy – is this possible? Dr. Towfigh, can you please answer?

[Good intentions]

quote WorriedWife1:

I’m concerned that he is moving forward with the hernia diagnosis

If he got the vasectomy so that you two could have a better sex life, then you should be very concerned about today’s hernia repair method of choice. Laparoscopic implantation of large pieces of mesh can impact the penis and surrounding body parts. It did mine. The more active I was the worse it got. And it wasn’t the type that a pill can fix. So, your husband’s physical type of work is going to make these problems worse if he has them. He won’t be able to stop sports or working out and just spend more time at a desk so that he can have his penis back. The inflammation affects all surrounding tissues, and gets worse with movement. It’s not a problem that most men will talk about, but if it doesn’t work there’s no point in not talking about it.

The big risk for both of you right now is that the majority of surgeons out there who do laparoscopic mesh implantation will seem very confident in the materials and method. You will feel very comfortable that he or she is going to fix him. You’ll feel relieved once you choose a doctor to do the work.

If you go for a consultation the surgeon will probably discount stories of dysfunction or chronic pain as internet rumors, or from the past. They might cite research work that supports what they plan to do, but not the research that describes up to 20% chronic pain. They might have hundreds of surgeries under their belt. Mine had over 400, I believe, so the advice to look for an experienced surgeon does not guarantee success if you find one. I had my surgery in 2014, and they still do things the same way.

Watch this video and you’ll see the guidance to place large pieces of mesh, even on the side that is asymptomatic. Sponsored by a medical device maker. Click anyway, even though it’s intended for the professionals.

http://www.ethiconinstitute.com/node/885/asset

If he does decide to have surgery, find a surgeon who can say that they know their past patients are doing well, years later. “I don’t know, I haven’t heard anything bad” is reason to keep searching. Find a friend or colleague who has had successful surgery, and does what your husband plans to do, and get the exact same surgery. Make sure that your surgeon knows that their method and material choice work in the long-term, and that recurrence alone is not their criterion for success.

Good luck. Be careful. The news these days is full of stories about the big corporations of the medical industry pushing sales over patient welfare. Opioids, birth control, trans-vaginal mesh, and hernia mesh among them. Even the physicians are trapped in the mess. It’s up to the patient to find somebody that they can really trust.