KodyH Kang Repair

[KodyH]

Hi everyone,

I apologize for the delay in my update. It has been chaotic recently! The check-up went well, there was some swelling for a couple of days but that has resolved. The last couple of days in Korea I was able to go around and tour a bit, walking some far distances and even taking some stairs. I took the long flight back to the US, and 4 days later took one to Italy. Next I fly to Thailand on Wednesday.

I 100% recommend using the wheelchair service at the airport, it is extremely helpful in order to avoid lifting luggage and walking very long distances.

I have not had pain following the first week until a couple of days ago. I was exiting the bus in a hurry and mistakenly hopped down and landed on my right leg quite hard and felt immediate pain and saw a bulge between my hip bone and belly button (I think higher then where hernia bulge is). I had a bit of a bulge for the first week following the surgery though, and so I think it is just irritation/inflammation which I probably triggered from the hard landing. However I don’t believe it has recurred or anything like that, I’ve had a full ache for the past couple of days since the hard landing but I expect that will keep getting better, it’s very important to be very cautious following surgery.

Also, I do not recommend flying Austrian Airlines. All the other airlines did not question me at all and helped with the wheelchair service. Austrian airlines is requiring that I send them documents and a form from the hospital so I have been in contact with Stephen about this and will receive those documents tomorrow to have the airline’s doctors review them – very stressful and totally unnecessary since I’ve taken multiple flights since the operation and have been totally fine. I’m a bit nervous for their review.

Stephen and Dr. Kang are absolutely incredible, I’ve been shocked by the relative ease of my recovery, even with the hard landing a couple of days ago bringing back some pain I think it’s already lessening just need to give it more time and not irritate it! Dr. Kang’s knowledge of the history of hernia repair is extraordinary, and I very much trust in his expertise. The help from Stephen has been life-saving and he is even helping me after the surgery with things such as these airline documents I must submit. I hope to never have a hernia on the other side but if I did I would go right back to Korea. If I myself, a 22 year old traveling across the world to get the surgery all by myself, you certainly can. And you should!

I’m praying for my continued recovery and that Austrian Airlines accepts these documents so that I can move to Thailand without issue.

Regards

[Unknown Member]

Kody???? are you still alive?

[Unknown Member]

Hey kody —what did Kang say about your repair? Is all well? complications?

[KodyH]

Hi everyone,

I am now going for my post-op check to the hospital. I was supposed to go tomorrow but I am going today instead. I am having some huge swelling in the right testicle and sharp pains in the left. The incision site is still feeling tight and occasional pain, but I am concerned about the testicles they feel hard and the color does not look good. Hoping everything is alright. I’ll update here what the hospital says.

[Raymond]

Hi Cody, thanks for your posts, I am so happy for you, and for being so brave as to fly out for your procedure. I think the polypropylene suture won’t cause you any issues, however I am not a physician. You might want to watch this video. This fellow is a biomedical engineer, and his grandfather was a surgeon. Please watch what he has to say. In the video Dr. Kang asked him to choose his suture type, and he chose polypropylene.
==> https://youtu.be/ZzW2W9LyORk?si=KiP4crKaMP0X_AW3

Also mesh sounds scary. This podiatrist on youTube had a failed mesh surgery, and I feel so bad for him. ==> https://youtu.be/9Jmp2r-J3kM?si=OmDgA_bc5p1pu0Af

[William Bryant]

Thanks for updates Kody..sounds like everything is going well. F
Good luck

[KodyH]

Hi Dr. Kang!

Yes I seem to be recovering quite well. At first, I was constipated for a bit which was leading to some discomfort. However I realized I was accidentally swallowing the stool softener pills when they are supposed to be chewed. So this morning I chewed it for the first time and was able to have the first bowel movement since surgery with no pain!

I am able to walk around with minimal discomfort though every once and awhile there will be a sharp pain. I still take great caution getting in and out of bed which can still cause a little pain.

Just recently I had a single very sudden cough that I was unable to prepare for and it hurt VERY badly. I am worried if coughing can cause damage to the repair? I don’t feel any pain now after, but the cough was the worst pain I’ve felt since surgery.

I feel a little discomfort going down into the scrotum/testicle on the side of the repair, but it isn’t painful just a weird discomfort feeling.

All in all 4 days after the surgery, it seems to be going pretty well. I will just take great care if I have to cough. I don’t think it did damage I think it would still be painful if it did? But I am looking forward to the post-op check this Thursday to ensure everything has gone smoothly.

That is also good to hear about the prolene, that seems to be the best choice for me as it will provide for a stronger repair and I will need the repair to last for many decades to come.

[drkang]

Hi KodyH,
Are you recovering well?

Regarding Prolene, you don’t need to worry about it.
It does not increase the chronic pain risk but provides extra strength in case of extreme situations, I think.

[David M]

Kody, I believe you have Pinto’s story correct. Perhaps Pinto is reading and can confirm.

[David M]

Dr Kang verified that he operated on Kody in this thread:

https://herniatalk.com/forums/topic/after-reading-here-for-days-is-it-fair-to-say-there-is-zero-consensus/

After reading here for days – is it fair to say there is zero consensus

[Unknown Member]

Thanks Kody. I think your concerns about prolene are not an issue. Kang uses the least suturing material of anyone. Yes please keep posting updates so helpful. Would enjoy chatting when you get back to the States. Where are you from? Just curious. It sounds like the pain is not unbearable. Some others were not able to get out of bed.

[KodyH]

Hi David,

Thank you for the information! So from my understanding, Pinto’s first repair was with absorbable but then he had a recurrence. And then his second repair was done with the non-absorbable sutures? Do I have this correct?

Also from my understanding Pinto suffers no chronic pain following both Kang repairs, so if his second was done with the non-absorbable that certainly makes me feel more confident. I believe I’ve also read another commenter here who has given constant updates on his Kang repair that I believe was with non-absorbable sutures and he also doesn’t suffer chronic pain.

Please do let me know if I have this correct about Pinto’s situation, with his second repair then being done with the non-absorbable?

Regards

[David M]

Kody,
Here is a link to the Swedish Registry pain study scale. It has ratings for 1 to 7, but these are ratings after one year. So, obviously your pain will be worse for the meantime.

https://herniatalk.com/forums/topic/is-this-swedish-pain-study-from-2021-to-2015-the-best-pain-study-to-date/

I can’t give you any guidance on the non absorbable having more pain. There was/is a poster here named Pinto who(m) I believe had the Kang repair (for indirect) back when Dr Kang was using absorbable. He had a recurrence which Dr Kang repaired, but Dr Kang has since switched to non absorbable because there are less recurrences that way, is my understanding.

Is this Swedish groin pain study from 2012 to 2015 the best pain study to date?

[David M]

Thanks for the update, Kody. Dr Kang has verified your identity on the other thread.

Chuck, I know you’re reading this. The problem here with folks mistaking Kody as one of yours is a good reason to drop the name swapping. Honestly, I can’t say it hasn’t been somewhat fun to guess the ones that were you, but there is obviously a downside, as well.

[KodyH]

Hi Markk,

I will continue to update, and I’m not comfortable putting a score on any pain yet as it’s only been 1 day since the surgery. I can feel some tightness and slight pain but it isn’t too bad, only bad when getting in and out of bed and I’m choosing not to sit as that also makes it worse.

Also, if anyone is knowledgeable about prolene non-absorbable sutures I’d love to hear more. Can I expect that they will last in me for 50+ years without issue? I don’t want to regret getting non-absorbable instead of absorbable.

[Unknown Member]

Kody. Ignore these folks. I know you are legit. Please keep the updates coming. Daily if possible. How would you rate the pain 1-10? I am afraid of chronic pain too. And kangs stats aren’t great in that regard. But maybe better than others.

[KodyH]

I’m sorry that this Chuck character has seemed to cause so many issues on here but I don’t think that should interfere with actual people trying to detail their experiences, I think that results in a highly toxic atmosphere. People here want to hear about hernia repairs and I’m here to tell about mine it’s really simple.

[KodyH]

Hi Watchful,

What specific detail about the hospital must you know so that you stop thinking I’m fake? Do I need to upload a photo of my name as the hospital? What do you want?

[Watchful]

Come on, you should really stop this, Chuck. See my suggestion of rebranding yourself as JimH, and sticking to that. You really don’t need to pretend to be someone else to ask your questions.

[KodyH]

Also as I said before, I am 22 years old (I think one if not the youngest foreign patient they have had). So I will need the repair and sutures to be good for decades to come.

[ajm222]

where did dr. kang verify his identity?