News Feed Discussions Surgery tomorrow with progrip….help

  • Surgery tomorrow with progrip….help

    Posted by Colrie87 on May 22, 2019 at 1:48 am

    Idk what to do. I am a mom of 7, 31yr old and I have an inguinal hernia. I’m overweight but got the hernia from lifting at former job. Here’s where I’m at. I’m due to have surgery tomorrow as my husband got let go from job and we have insurance up until the 31st and we have met all out of pocket deductibles, and with 7 kids and him taking some time before going back to work (we have a couple younger kids) I feel it is best time. But I have read such terrible things, and I am now scared. Dr is doing surgery with robot laproscopicly and using progrip. Any advice would be amazing

    drtowfigh replied 5 years, 4 months ago 7 Members · 13 Replies
  • 13 Replies
  • drtowfigh

    Moderator
    May 22, 2019 at 4:23 am

    Tailoring surgery to the needs of each patient is important. For example, tissue repair is not a good idea for most obese patients, for femoral hernias, for many direct hernia or large hernias.

    Its important that you and your surgeon have a discussion about what he/she recommends for you and why not other options. To insist on a certain technique without understanding how that fits to your specific needs is not ideal. It’s like saying skinny jeans are best and so everyone (including great grandpa and obese auntie) should choose skinny jeans. That would be a disaster.

  • dog

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 4:07 am
    quote Jnomesh:

    Yes please make a informed decision and do as much research as possible.. One problem with find an alternative to mesh repair is finding someone who is a expert at doing it the old fashion way. Make sure your surgeons has experience and confidence in doing a pure tissue repair.
    i have heard that the pro grip mesh is a very difficult to remove if it ever had to.
    There is the shouldice hospital in Toronto that specials in pure tissue repair and Dr. Tomas in Florida who does a pure tissue repair called the desarda technique and dr. William Brown in CA who specializes in non mesh repairs

    Mo asked me to explain it …But i also agree with Dr drtowfigh if this is the case…But even in that situation i would get second opinion from dr who specialising in tissue repair …..Well if worse come worse you can go with mesh at any time… But what if mesh will give you problem…well it is going to be totally different ball game :{

    I am not trying to be harsh ..just trying to get your attention ..so would not be regrets down the road.
    “Why not listening to this ” ? i also cancelled my surgery in the last moment ..was offered the cource of actiones same https://www.herniatalk.com/10267-exc…n-golden-hands ….did you read it ?

    But Gould Luck and God Bless You!

  • MO

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:59 am

    Just told you the above two points to let you plan your thinking for tomorrow. Not trying to tell you what to do.

  • MO

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:55 am

    Some staff at surgical offices have told me that the repair will fail without mesh.

  • MO

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:54 am

    It is very common that surgeons under a certain age are not experienced using a suture repair.

  • Colrie87

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:46 am

    Jason r. Keonin, md, facs

  • Colrie87

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:44 am

    He is out of town next week. He chose robot(which has been used in a few of my other surgeries because he said it’s easier to move around and more precise and gives better visual. He said he does lap surgery because easier healing time.
    im going to call tomorrow and ask for open surgery with sutures and if I have reoccurrence then try mesh.

  • MO

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:41 am

    Can you name tentative surgeon?

  • Good intentions

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:12 am
    quote Colrie87:

    Idk what to do. I am a mom of 7, 31yr old and I have an inguinal hernia. I’m overweight but got the hernia from lifting at former job. Here’s where I’m at. I’m due to have surgery tomorrow as my husband got let go from job and we have insurance up until the 31st and we have met all out of pocket deductibles, and with 7 kids and him taking some time before going back to work (we have a couple younger kids) I feel it is best time.

    On the spectrum of fixing problems after hernia repair, the laparoscopic procedures are the most difficult, I believe. In your case, as a woman, an open repair, even with mesh, seems reasonable. No spermatic cord or such sensitive structures to worry about. One benefit touted for lap procedures is small scars. If you’ve had a C-section or two, then scars might not be a big deal for you. No offense. Make sure that you understand why, exactly, he wants to use that technique.

    Also consider that if a suture-based repair fails you can always get mesh. But if you have mesh problems you can’t undo them. There’s no easy next step for mesh repair problems.

    And it’s odd that your surgeon is choosing to use a somewhat sophisticated and new technology on you. Using robotic lap for a routine hernia repair makes me think that somebody wants to get some time on the robotic equipment. It doesn’t seem like a proper use of the robotic equipment, considering the patient’s benefit. It’s probably more expensive for the institution also. Something is off there.

    With no spermatic cord to worry about a simple open repair and sutures, or even mesh, seems like what would have been suggested.

    Overall though, it seems like you’re making and hurrying your decision for the wrong reasons, the deductible on your insurance plan and your husband being out of work. You’re too young to suffer a mistake and have too many kids to take care of. Consider the cost of finding out that you were right about the use of mesh. It will affect you for the rest of your life. Easier to fix a financial problem than a mesh problem.

    Good luck. At the least, see if you can delay for another week, to be sure you’ve thought everything out. Search for other surgeons under your plan.

  • Colrie87

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 3:01 am

    I live in Iowa. And travelling and paying out of pocket really isn’t an option. Having as many kids as we do isn’t cheap lol

  • Jnomesh

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 2:54 am

    Yes please make a informed decision and do as much research as possible.. One problem with find an alternative to mesh repair is finding someone who is a expert at doing it the old fashion way. Make sure your surgeons has experience and confidence in doing a pure tissue repair.
    i have heard that the pro grip mesh is a very difficult to remove if it ever had to.
    There is the shouldice hospital in Toronto that specials in pure tissue repair and Dr. Tomas in Florida who does a pure tissue repair called the desarda technique and dr. William Brown in CA who specializes in non mesh repairs

  • Colrie87

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 2:33 am

    I’m going to ask him tomorrow to just do it the old fashioned way. I get burning but not really any other pain, and like I said it will eventually have to be fixed and normally my husband isn’t home to help and we have toddlers who need to be picked up

  • lbpd16

    Member
    May 22, 2019 at 2:18 am

    Don’t do it! If you are not in pain and don’t have any issues related to the hernia just wait. If you read just a few posts here you will soon see why. I was considering a high rated surgeon that used mesh, but after spending time here I decided no way in hell i’m getting mesh.

    Of course, the statistics say you should be fine with mesh, I’m just not willing to take that chance. Hernias were repaired for decades without mesh.

    See posts from “Dog”

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