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Hernia mesh removal – Dr. Belyanski vs Dr. Muschaweck
Dear all, thank you for all the posts on this forum. It has been educating in so many ways. I am a 30-year old male, struggling with my bilateral hernia meshes (TEP, Ethicon advanced) implanted about a year ago. This year following the surgery has been a true hell for me. I have never been pain free, but over the recent months I have started losing control over my body – pain, pelvis, hip, knee, pain, not even mentioning all sort of burning in my abdomen and groin, and inability to wear jeans, suit, excercise, sleep well. Obviously the surgeon is denying that mesh could be a culprit, but I know my struggles have started with the surgery. I have been perfectly healthy person until the day the meshes were implanted. It just feels my abdomen is filled with hot cement.
Obviously, before it is too late, I really want to do something about it. I wish I knew about mesh complications possibility earlier. I can’t imagine living my life in this agony.
I was thinking about visiting two specialists – Dr. Frau Muschaweck and Dr. Belyanski (perhaps you could recommend me someone else). I was wondering if they both could remove TEP implanted meshes? Complications like losing a testicle?
I also read that the scar tissue is getting formed around the meshes. Would this be fair to say that removing a mesh just 1 year after the implantation is easier than removing it 3-5 years later?
I just feel I am on a wrong path and it is getting worse every day. I can no longer sit around the dinner table with my family because of pains.
Please help me…
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7 Replies
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I know it’s expensive, but it might be worth having a consult with Dr. Towfigh about this. She’s made statements before suggesting things like this can be fixed or improved. Not sure how (gofundme perhaps), and I am sure the cost could be prohibitive, but ultimately if the quality of your life has been ruined by the surgeries, I don’t think any potential expense should be considered in an effort to get better. Orchiectomy, if it worked, should be considered because you really don’t need two testicles to function normally. But I’m not sure how successful that is in a situation like this at fixing the problem. But I think she might be able to offer some guidance, and also perhaps recommend some doctors closer to you that might be able to help.
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My mesh removal experience was horrific and I have been warning others on this site to relax and weigh all of your options. I wish I had. I had all 3 nerves cut in 2 different surgeries and now I am in constant pain. I was naive about the neurectomy but it will haunt me Forever now. With the genitofemoral nerve cut my testicle has dropped and now I am faced with trying to figure out what to do. Orchiectomy is not out of the question but will be a last resort. I agree with others here who say ask lots of questions and weigh the pros and cons. You can always have the surgery done but once it’s over you can’t go back.
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I, too, had a favorable visit with Dr Belyanski and considered having him remove my mesh. I ended up “chickening out”, partially because I was fearful of having my mesh removed w/ young children at home who I need to pick up with great regularity. When I had my original surgery years ago, my right-sided hernia was “moderately sized”, with the surgeon remarking after the surgery that it “was much bigger than expected.” For that reason I am afraid of recurrence after any potential mesh removal.
The docs put me on Cymbalta to help cope with things, which is an antidepressant that can also help with nerve pain/damage. It has worked reasonably well. I had months and months of endless groin spasms, sometimes practically convulsions, which were driving me crazy and even waking me up at night. I could hardly sit at my desk at work and even had to change chairs to achieve a posture that made work tolerable. The meds, and the passage of time, helped resolve that to a good degree. 1.5 years later, I still get groin twitches and sharp pains with some regularity but not nearly as bad as it was this time last year. As you contemplate what to do, you could consider giving that a try in the interim. I know some folks are reluctant to start taking stuff like that, as I was for a long time, but just know that it is an option.
I will keep Dr B in mind as I look to the future and try to figure out whether I should march on as-is, or get the darn mesh out. Best of luck.
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I don’t think Bill Meyers does anything other than open surgery. So if you had a TEP procedure and need a laparo/robotic removal (as is recommended, from what I’ve gathered) then I wouldn’t advise going that route. He also doesn’t participate w/ insurance companies, except for imaging.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by mitchtom6.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by
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Also meant to mention these doctors that Dr. Belyansky suggests besides himself:
Dr. Yuri Novitsky (New York)
Dr. William “Bill” Meyers (Pennsylvania) -
Dr. Belyansky is wonderful. I’m considering surgery with him in the fall. Consulted with him several times in person and on phone. His staff is also awesome. He’s arguably one of the very best at this, and most experienced. And you absolutely want that for such a major surgery. Other specialists rave about his technical skills. And his bedside manner is great. Cancelled my February surgery date because I got scared but may reschedule soon. He can definitely remove the mesh. He’s being more selective with patients now but still doing removal. You’d have to see him and make your case. Testicle loss is a risk but more rare. He’s never had anyone lose a testicle under his watch.
As for scar tissue, one year or ten shouldn’t really make a big difference. He’s removed mesh from people who have had it for ten years or longer. Doesn’t apparently make much of a difference after a certain point. It doesn’t just continue to get thicker and thicker forever. It’s my understanding that it tends to stabilize for the most part after a fairly short period of time. You might feel like the area is flaring up but I don’t think the scar tissue really changes much in terms of thickness or overall amount after a year or so. And whatever scar tissue is created as a result of the inflammatory process, it’s less than you’d actually imagine. Pretty much just kind of encapsulates the mesh.
It’s a major surgery that has its risks but in the right hands you should be good. And it sounds like you’re suffering a lot and absolutely shouldn’t have to live like that.
There are several other good surgeons – Dr. Towfigh that runs this site, Dr. Ramshaw, Dr. Brian Jacobs, Dr. William Brown. You can search the forums for them.
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Here is an old Topic with some good replies about people with problems similar to yours. It has a list of surgeons who might be able to help you.
https://herniatalk.com/forums/topic/considering-triple-neroectomy-or-inguinal-orchietomy/
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