News Feed Discussions Mesh Doc: Healing Takes Two Years

  • Mesh Doc: Healing Takes Two Years

    Posted by pinto on June 19, 2023 at 8:47 pm

    After IH surgery, “the entire healing process takes about 2 years to be complete and the tissue can fail.” That is according to a general surgeon at quora.com with “hundreds” of hernia surgeries done. I have yet to see a comparable statement about healing in the years.

    The operative word is “complete.” But it can be important because this surgeon doesn’t recommend strenuous exercise after complete healing. I don’t have any more details about the surgeon but other advice he gives fits with that given here at HT. The two-year period seemed startling because it seems many surgeons put it in terms of “weeks” or “months” none I believe going beyond a year.

    A lot depends surely on the type/condition of the hernia, that of the patient besides surgery method. Still the two-year figure is something to consider particularly “as the tissue can fail.” I wonder if there has been any evidence-based research directed to the matter.

    pinto replied 1 year, 5 months ago 4 Members · 11 Replies
  • 11 Replies
  • pinto

    Member
    June 28, 2023 at 2:01 am

    William, you’re modest for being a main contributor here and importantly helping others out. No-one here can claim posting flawless posts or commentary. We help each other out along the way. We’re all in this together. You’ve been very helpful.

  • William Bryant

    Member
    June 28, 2023 at 1:33 am

    I agree Pinto, it would be good to have more surgeon statements and studies about the healing. Sadly I’ve not found anymore information.

    No offence taken at your posts at all!…. So far!!!! At least!!!

    I realise I get things wrong and not the brightest button in the box so appreciated the corrections.

  • pinto

    Member
    June 27, 2023 at 9:26 pm

    Blast the tech of this website! I just noticed strangely how a laugh mark can unintentionally impart insult. Produced by this website! A post of mine above with a laugh mark is presented in two different forms: 1) in this threat; and 2) in the “activity” list of my posts elsewhere. The same post but found in two different ways. In #2 my post is correctly presented with the laugh attached to a laughable 90% stat. Contrarily, in #1, the present thread, the laugh mark got separated and stuck with mention of William, not how I originally posted it.

    • This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by  pinto.
  • Jack2021

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 5:35 pm

    Hi William,

    I remember reading the post/article you mention about the two farmers whose Desarda repairs recurred. I think it may be a post somewhere here on HT. If not on here, maybe it was patient info.

    It was in reference to a surgeon in New Zealand (hence the sheep farmers!) and from memory, I think the person said that the surgeon had just those two recurrences from a large number of Desarda repairs. I’m not sure of the numbers but 300+ rings a bell.

    I think it was part of a thread from someone looking for tissue repair in Australia, but I’m not 100% certain.

  • pinto

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 4:05 pm

    Just in case, my laugh mark above was about the 90% figure but got separated so I hope it didn’t cause offense. William, everywhere I’ve looked over the years I see surgeons speak of weeks/months but never saw one other than the one noted speak of healing in terms of years. Having little experience medically, I have a lot of questions about it.

  • William Bryant

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 2:40 pm

    Again from Baris, a mention that a Shouldice surgeon said muscles take roughly a year to heal after surgery

    “They were even more shocked at the fact that the surgeon decided to reoperate after only a few months. The chief surgeon said that at the shouldice clinic there is a one year wait for re surgery as it roughly takes this long for the muscles to heal and be at a good enough level to be restitched”.

  • William Bryant

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 2:24 pm

    Hello Pinto, I’ve searched and searched for the Desarda article about two years but can’t find it… I did recall something Baris wrote, not Desarda, and here is an extract

    “Dr Michael alexander told me it could take up too two years for it to fully heal on the side with mesh but keeping it in was the best course of action at the time as it could of been risky.”

    If you search the entire extract thing you’ll find Baris post, it’s a bit unclear (to me) if he is referring to the original surgery or the revision. But I know you are far more analytical and understanding of these things more than me (understatement).

    (I think Dr Alexander was a shouldice surgeon).

  • pinto

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 12:52 pm

    @ajm222: “most mesh surgeons will say a mesh repair is fine almost immediately after surgery”
    Exactly. One I read say when leaving the clinic you’re 90% healed. 😀 Has William heard 2ys. from surgeons? I’ve never have, only that one. But I have seen mesh surgeons say tissue takes longer.

    Now ajm you’re well experienced having had a mesh removal and then a tissue repair. It’s not just this question of time but what to expect physically. As I said the operative word is “complete,” for estimates of time given may be in the sense of “practically healed.” When you had mesh, eventually were both sides of your groin completely flat, no elevation on the one side? If you touched the mesh side, it was the same as touching the other side? The mesh doc cited is speaking in terms of completeness though he didn’t describe it in physical terms particularly how close does it come to the prior state of non-disease.

  • William Bryant

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 10:49 am

    Hold stomach Ajm when you cough.

    Can is operating word here I’d say. I think tissue failed within 2 years on the Desarda follow ups I read as there were two farmers who lifted heavy including at one time a sheep.

  • ajm222

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 8:23 am

    makes sense tissue repair would take a little longer, but two years still seems excessive. and if this is a mesh doc, what does he mean the tissue can fail? doesn’t sound like a particularly reputable source. most mesh surgeons will say a mesh repair is fine almost immediately after surgery, and there are no restrictions at all, particularly as time goes on. but they will often say you just may feel twinges here and there for up to a year. tissue repair surgeons tend to suggest they need several months to get stronger but rarely do they suggest limiting activity once healed.

    i’m here at 4 months since a tissue repair with a terrible cough and sneezing from a cold and really hoping it’s strong enough now, lol. but i also had absorbable sutures, which have mixed reviews.

  • William Bryant

    Member
    June 20, 2023 at 4:22 am

    That’s essentially my understanding, especially of the Desarda repair. Up to 2 years to recover. I did read similar, about Desarda, but of course life being life I can’t find it now.

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