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travel for hernia repair?
I was wondering if anyone has traveled for a hernia repair and if so what happened? How did your recovery go? How many days after surgery is it safe to fly back home? Where did you get your repair done? I’m concerned about traveling for surgery because I read that the risk for infection after surgery lasts 30 days, and staying 30 days at a hotel doesn’t sound very doable.
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3 Replies
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I feel that traveling for hernia repair is a legitimate concern. Should short term complications arise you may or may not be covered by insurance. You may end up staying at facilities and seeing doctors you are not familiar with. If you have long term complications you will likely have to make repeated trips to the doctor that treated you in the first place. The trouble with long term complications is that the specialist is not sure that there is one and will tell you that healing is progressing normally. That can go on for months.
On the other hand having a hernia treated locally by a general surgeon can be a big mistake. Overall, I would say that the danger of being treated by a local surgeon is worse. But traveling to be treated has it’s issues.
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It is safe for most outpatient hernia repairs to go home as early as 24 hours after surgery.
Infection risk is low after most hernia repairs, typically below 1%. The 30 days number is purely for outcomes reporting, to keep it uniform for all studies and reports. The risk of noticing an infection after surgery drops after the first 2 weeks. That said, there is no reason to stay in a hotel or locally during that time.
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Raindrop,
i have travelled for hernia repair several times and am getting ready to travel to CA from VA for mesh removal and repair. None of my surgeries have been standard because I have had recurrences and problems with my mesh. When I had laparoscopic mesh removal and open repair in Maryland, I stayed in the hospital one night and in a hotel, that is run by the hospital and only costs $60/night, for three nights. I was able to make the 4 1/2 hour car ride home without a problem. I have never had a problem with infections either. I would think the doctor could tell you if you are at increased risk for infection. Since having problems after an abdominal wall reconstruction, I was referred to Dr. Towfigh and we flew from VA to CA for a consult. The trip was difficult because of the pain I have but it was worth it for her expertise. It was the best doctor appointment I have ever had and the first one where the doctor was interested in why I am having so many problems and rare hernias and how best to address these problems. It is definitely overwhelming to think of having surgery so far from home, but so worth it for expert care! I understand that if the doctor has lot of out of town patients, like Dr. Towfigh, the office staff are very helpful with making arrangements for your stay and following up after surgery. In my opinion, if you don’t have a hernia specialist close to home, it is worth it to travel and get the best care possible the first time. Like dr. Towfigh says #Itisnotjustahernia!! I hope this helps.
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