No mesh hernia surgery with Dr. Brown

[Good intentions]

I hope you don’t mind my adding a few things to your Topic G. It would be great to find that Dr. Brown’s methods had been fully transitioned to a new surgeon though.

Here is a separate web page about Dr. Nguyen. He seems to be from the weight loss world, like Dr. Billing (who removed the mesh I had).

https://lifetimesurgical.com/dr-nguyen/

Another page from Dr. Nguyen’s new practice, the sportshernia web site. It looks promising but it’s hard to tell if these are his thoughts or just left over from the old web site, although Dr. Nguyen’s name is there. It’s promising. I think that he should be on anyone’s “no-mesh” list for a consultation.

https://www.sportshernia.com/sports-hernia-approach/sports-hernia-options-operation/

“There are two different surgical procedures used to treat sports hernias. One is the open operation. The other is a laparoscopic procedure with mesh. Both can yield excellent results. Dr. Nguyen prefers the open operation.

During the laparoscopic operation, it is difficult to see all the nerves and tendons. Thus some damage may be missed and not treated. The laparoscopic procedure also involves placing a large piece of plastic mesh to reinforce the lower abdominal wall; the muscles are not repaired only patched; the mesh can potentially cause problems from shear stresses and nerve damage and shrinkage. The mesh is tough to remove if it becomes a problem.”

[Good intentions]

Thanks for the follow-up G. It’s good to know that it is possible to have a good hernia repair. There must still be surgeons out there like Dr. Brown. They just need to be sought out.

I wonder if the surgeon who took over Dr. Brown’s practice uses Dr. Brown’s methods. It doesn’t seem like he would. The web site is very confusing, with new material seeming to contradict old material. Laparoscopic and robotic methods depend on the use of mesh.

https://www.sportshernia.com/

“About the Doctor
Dr. Richard Nguyen is a board certified General Surgeon and is fellowship trained in Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery from Vanderbilt University. He has helped to pioneer single incision laparoscopic procedures as well as being da Vinci Robot Certified. He currently trains other surgeons in both of these fields, contributing to the further innovation of surgical techniques. Dr. Nguyen has been practicing in San Jose since 2007 and a surgeon since 2001, working with the most cutting-edge techniques available.”

https://www.sportshernia.com/why-not-mesh/

“None of the current meshes are compatible with the body. Because of this, chronic pain is a significant problem. If the benefits of mesh greatly outweighed the difficulties of mesh, then it might make sense to use mesh. But that is not the case! When you compare the results of a sports hernia repair with and without mesh in athletes, the long term results are much better without mesh. None of the Sports Hernia Experts use mesh. Also, when you compare the results of inguinal hernia repairs in young men, the results are better without mesh. In all other groups of patients, non-mesh hernia repairs have less pain than mesh hernia repairs.

Please do not let your surgeon use mesh.”

[G]

Hi Chuck. I have a few minutes before work so I will try to answer your questions. I went with Dr. Brown as he was well recommended by past patients and a consistent quest speaker and contributor to this forum. He was anti-mesh and did pure tissue repair only. He also was sought after as a mesh removal surgeon. I never had mesh implanted so my chances were significantly better that those who are damaged by implantation/removal then re-repaired. That seems true for any surgeon’s success rate for patients who go through multiple surgeries for the same thing. They eventually seem to run out of healthy tissue. A hernia talk Forum member that went by the name of Dog convinced me by his story to go to Dr. Brown. Dog is long gone now living a good life thanks to Dr. Brown and his wonderful staff. I’m just returning the favor Dog did for me by sharing my story. I have a full and busy life once again so I probably won’t be on here very much. Who knows maybe never. I wish everyone the best in their search for the key that unlocks their hernia prison. Believe me I’ve been there and it wasn’t fun. I’m just here to say there are answers and solutions to every problem. I think Dr. Kang would be a good choice Chuck. The no mesh surgeons are disappearing faster than the rain forests. As the old ones retire few if any apprentices are being trained in the “ancient art” of no mesh repair. Good luck Chuck.

[G]

Hi Watchful. Actually by the size of the hernia and the location of the bulge I thought I had a direct hernia not an indirect. When Dr. Brown diagnosed it as an indirect hernia not a direct I was pleasantly relieved. An indirect is usually easier to fix than a direct. I happily blurted out “a Marcy repair?” and he answered in the affirmative. That is as far as I inquired or got involved in the surgery part of his work. I don’t know if it was a pure, hybrid or last minute change up. All I know is that he and the team did a great job. I’d never experienced a more positive healthcare experience before or since.

[Watchful]

Do you know if it was purely a Marcy repair, or a hybrid with another repair like Desarda? I consulted with him before he retired, also with an indirect hernia. I couldn’t get him to explain clearly what he was going to do in the two consultations that I had with him. Glad it worked out well for you. If it was indeed just a Marcy, then you managed to have it fixed with minimal procedure which is awesome.