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Mesh and autoimmune disease connection?
i personally never had any of these type of issue with my mesh surgery but know of others who have .
Most surgeons will say there is no proof of the connection, correlation, or cause and effect of hernia/pelvic mesh and autoimmune disorders bit how about instead of commenting one way or the other-actually have some studies.
A doctor in the link below believes there is a connection between the two and wants to study this issue.
He says his dream would be to develop a test/ screening to identify which patients may be susceptible to autoimmune issues (or a worsening of a pre-existing condition) due to mesh implantation
Seems logical to me: if a permanent implant device is going to be put in somebody it seems it would be very prudent to research this topic.
it seems to me we need some more logic and reasoning in the medical community when it comes to mesh https://www.meshmedicaldevicenewsdesk.com/mesh-autoimmunity-allergies-and-vitamin-d/ -
6 Replies
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Please keep us updated about your results.
regards.
Bill Brown MD -
I personally believe that my immune system has reacted negatively to the heavyweight polypropylene mesh that was put in my body a year and a half ago. Started feeling extremely tired about 6-8 months after implantation. Blood work shows abnormally low vitamin d and my thyroid is being attacked. I have an unusually high TPO level. Which if I understand correctly is a thyroid antibody measument. Anyways I am having my mesh removed next week and will definitely be paying attention to my body after the fact. The autoimmune component may or may not be related but my primary issue is nerve pain. I will try to report back at some point down the road.
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I have had an autoimmune reaction to reabsorbable mesh used during spinal surgery. My immune system bloodwork is abnormal and doctors I have seen attribute it to a continual inflammatory response.
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There is no literature that I have read that proves that mesh causes autoimmune disease, but I have had several patient whose autoimmune disease became worse after implantation of mesh and improved after the mesh was removed.
Most inguinal hernias can be repaired without mesh.
Large ventral hernias, mesh may be the only option.
Regards.
Bill Brown MD -
[USER=”2963″]Kristine[/USER] How big is your hernia? I think I have read a comment on here made by Dr. Brown stating that a hernia, even big, can be repaired without mesh. Then again, to do so would take a highly skilled surgeon to perform the non-mesh surgery, especially for a big defect. That would most likely involve some traveling. If you’re thin, I would assume you could have a good outcome if you got a traditional suture repair due to the decreased risk of a recurrence. There is only resource that I have seen of someone claiming that mesh can create autoimmune diseases. It seems super unlikely as it really has not been seen.
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I have wondered myself if hernia mesh cause or worsen autoimmune diseases, as I myself have autoimmune diseases and a hernia. But what happens if the hernia is too big to be repaired without using mesh or is in an area where mesh must be used? What other options are there?
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