Request: Top Inguinal Hernia Surgeons

[dave11]

Well, at the 30 day mark post surgery, I was given the okay to resume all activities. Considering I had both direct and indirect hernias on the right side, I think the surgery and recovery to date have been quite exceptional. The initial outcome of my 2 layer Shouldice is apparently similar to those thousands of very successful Dr. Grischkan surgeries that had very short recovery time frames. Feeling has returned to the surgical area except for the incision healing ridge that may take another month to smooth out. I have no pain at all. I have started biking again and mild weight training. I think I will wait until the whole, including the healing ridge, surgical area feels normal again before I proceed with more vigorous activities. I am just glad to have this surgery behind me. Actually, I won’t really know the eventual result of this surgery until much more time passes, but I feel quite pleased at this specific time.

[dave11]

One important thing I forgot to mention is that I have started walking a few miles a day on the next day right after surgery. This and a very healthy high protein diet seem to be quite beneficial to the healing process. I also used natural supplement Arnica 30x for the bruising and initial pain with somewhat uncertain results. Additionally, I have doubled my normal Vitamin C use to 1000 mg twice daily. I also started using Bromelain 850 mg twice daily to help with digestion. The main advantage in finally getting this seemingly good surgical repair is returning my body to a healthy whole once again. The constant use of a 2.5 inch wide athletic support for my groin is no longer necessary although I may wear one occasionally even after recovery. Such surgery is like getting out of the jail of living a restricted physical life.

[dave11]

Well, I finally took the plunge after 8 long years waiting to get a smaller right side hernia repaired after 4 months ago it finally got larger. I studied mostly all no mesh repair methods and their hernia surgeons. I spent much time sorting through welcome Hernia Talk comments. Dr. Kang’s repairs were my favorite, but the long travel distance from North Florida during the pandemics made me choose another surgeon. Not liking foreign matter (especially mesh) placed in my body, I loved Kang’s minimal use of suture material and smaller surgical area to aid in quicker recoveries. Dr. Grischkan’s thousands of successful 2 layer Shouldice (sans the Gortex) repairs with short recovery times were interesting. Dr. Kang’s repetitive advice that the 4 layer Shouldice was “unnecessarily invasive” kept ringing in my head. And the Drs. Jones’ video showing the 2 layer seemed to have a whole lot of stitch work. After I watched Dr. Towfigh’s very informative HT interview of Dr. Yunis in July, 2020, I became more interested in him.

Dr. Yunis’ 100s of positive reviews appear at this time after surgery to have been true. One interesting question I had regarded the type of suture to use in a man who has lost over 50% (-1% per year past age 20) of his bodily collagen production as my failing groin tissues showed. I tried all the collagen supplements and they did not work for me. I take many other supplements that do work. Realize I have done 300 modified sit ups per week all during the last 8 years. My concern was getting a more permanent closure versus absorbable sutures. I would never put wire sutures in my body. I believe what I can buy at a hardware store should not be placed in my body. We agreed on using Prolene in a 2 layer Shouldice. Amazingly, Dr. Yunis just looked at my hernia area and told me I had both an indirect and direct, and the surgery proved him correct. Dr. Yunis runs a first class operation in Sarasota and his key assistant Melanie is an awesome resource in answering questions, handling insurance, providing all forms, and smoothly scheduling consult one day and surgery the next. The first night after surgery I realized why I had waited 8 years to get the surgery as the pain was intense lifting my hernia side leg getting into a high bed. I remembered that ice had been applied right after surgery. So, I used several full bags of ice (1 hour per) over a few days to reduce such pain to just mildly sore. I was amazed that ice applied directly to the surgical area was not even felt. Seemed like the area was numb. I did take 4 pain meds. At a few weeks after surgery, I have no pain, all discoloration is gone, swelling is minimal except the 3 inch no stitch incision healing ridge. Time will eventually tell if my decision was good, but I don’t plan on doing anything to acquire another hernia especially in my older groin tissues. My crazy days of my 30s in lifting 40 tons per week are long gone.

By the way, Dr. Yunis said he respected Dr. Kang and would like to meet him and enjoy some of that Korean cuisine. Hopefully, these two gentlemen will get together and share their vast accumulated knowledge and skill. Perhaps, the really diversely skilled Dr. Yunis will also acquire some Kang repair methods, and vice versa.

[GettingAnxious]

I will post about my experience soon, but I am just over three weeks out from an inguinal repair. I looked at many surgeons and decided to go to Sarasota to have Dr. Yunis do my non-mesh repair. I could not be more pleased with the whole experience to date. I would suggest looking at his site and gathering your questions. He and his staff responded promptly and answered any question I had. So pleased I had it done and done by him.