[Khernia11]

That’s for the reply Jnomesh, I hit you up with a private message.

[Khernia11]

Wow, this story breaks my heart. The greed of Boston Scientific is beyond comprehension. They are still selling the Chinese polypropylene mesh to put into women today!?! This is an outrage!!

Some key call outs from the episode tonight regarding polypropylene mesh implanted in the human body which applies to all polypropylene mesh, including hernia mesh:

Surgeon Dr. Michael Margolis who has removed over 350 mesh implants says “The mesh causes a chronic inflammatory reaction.” The mesh shrinks.

Chevron Philips became concerned of the medical use of polypropylene in the human body and in 2004 issued a warning that “polypropylene should not be used in human body!!” When pressed for sales they said we are simply not interested in this business anymore !! Why didn’t the pharmaceutical and medical communities listen?! Why is this still recommended today? This has to change!!

Leading Plastic engineer Dwayne Pritty, a fellow of the American chemical Society says “ I can’t in my wildest imagination imagine anybody that’s knowledgeable in the science of plastics ever deciding it was appropriate to use polypropylene in the human body. It is well known that it’s oxidatively unstable” They explained that the mesh has antioxidant additives but will break down rapidly once they wear out. “Oxygen eats plastic” Then come your systematic reactions…

I hope this helps other people decline mesh and insist on a pure tissue fix. With this demand, it will then get more surgeons to learn the skill set Required. Eventually this will bring back pure tissue techniques As a primary fix and these polypropylene mesh implants will be a thing of the past.

[Khernia11]

WashingtonDC, consider it a blessing that you have posted here. I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM MESH PERIOD DON’T DO IT. FIND A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED SURGEON WHO WILL DO A PURE TISSUE FIX AND INSIST ON IT, Some great options listed above. I am a runner who got mesh implanted 7 years ago. I am in the process of looking to get it removed now. Basically, what I notice it that I have chronic inflammation now after activities that has led to burning and dull aches pains in the hernia mesh areas on an ongoing basis now. It doesn’t start out like that, but it will get to that point if you are very active in my experience. I am also EXTREMELY concerned with how this chronic inflammation can lead to autoimmune conditions down the road as I have now been experiencing systematic symptoms 5-7 years in > chemical and food sensitivities, escalating allergies, off balance\dizziness feelings when the pain flares up in the hernia area like I’m slowly being poisoned…no previous history in family on any of this. POLYPROPYLENE DOES NOT BELONG IN THE HUMAN BODY. In addition to chronic inflammation, there is complications such as mesh erosion, infection, extrusion, migration, fragmentation, chronic pain potentially to contend with and there is no long term testing for these since they were grandfathered in with the FDA 501K process. Please do the research and you will realize there is no reason to do the mesh if you go to the right specialists. Also, please watch 60 minutes this weekend, it is related to mesh complications and polypropylene in the human body. I understand this will be an eye opener. Good luck, I hope you heal well.

[Khernia11]

I wanted to just say THANK YOU!!!!! for your reply Dr. Kang and for putting that out there…you have no idea what that means to me when I read your well respected opinion and how I wish I read this 7 years before my mesh surgery as I am looking to get it removed now due to growing systematic complications.

IT SEEMS SO OBVIOUS OF A CHOICE!!!! > (So I have a hernia, to repair should I… A. Insist on using my own tissue with a skilled hernia surgeon and technique OR …. B. Use a FDA grandfathered polypropylene plastic with who knows what chemical coatings with no long term testing in the human body and then ADD IN the potentials for oxidation+FBR+chronic mesh inflammation+deep infection risk (bacteria colonies possibly hiding in biofilm around mesh) + time (months, years) = WHAT CAN GO WRONG?? HOW DO WE TURN THIS SHIP AROUND?) I honestly can not believe how this still is going on. I hope your words can help others who are blindly following these mesh recommendations citing “better re-occurance rates” over potential quality of life issues.

Also, thank you Dr. Towfigh and all the others who understand this and push for more pure tissue training. It makes me happy to see this. We need to go back to the old days in a lot of areas in the medical field, removing mesh included…people still got hernias back then and then they got them fixed and moved on with their lives without worries about what a piece of plastic in a sensitive area can do down the road…

[Khernia11]

I can’t thank you all enough for your stories and advise. You have given me an honest and great starting point to continue researching removing my mesh. I am anxious but hopeful. I have joined a number of the popular Facebook mesh groups now including the one above to learn more about removal as I wait to consult with the specialists on the list. I will update my story as it moves forward and look to give back like you all have done. Best to you both on your continuing recoveries!

[Khernia11]

Jnomesh, thanks for sharing. Can anyone join that Facebook forum, can you share the name to search for? I am looking for as many experiences as possible for open direct inguinal mesh removal from the specialist list at the top of this thread especially Belyansky since he is close to me and in my network as well as Ramshaw. Curious, in the end what made you decide on Belyansky over Ramshaw? They both do robotic mesh removals and are at on a short list of specialists in this area from what I gather on this site…Thanks in advance for your thoughts. I really appreciate you and Good intentions feedback and of course Towfigh for putting this site up as I have felt so alone and shunned the past couple years with these issues with doctors just telling you to take advil and live with it because nothing shows up in any test they run and you know something is not right and it all points back to the discomfort\pain etc, in the mesh area…

[Khernia11]

And if you experience these other symptoms did they resolve after the surgery?

[Khernia11]

Hi Jnomesh, Thank you for the reply and all the good information. I actually have an appointment coming up with Belyanksy shortly. He is only about 2 1/2 hour drive from me. So he has done atleast 6 people on this board that you know about or are you referring to a different forum if so what forum? I agree If I’m going to go through with this I want to go with the highest skilled surgeon for my case who can get as close to 100% safely out as possible.

A question for you and the others who opted for mesh removal was it mainly due to pain that you opted to remove it or were there other symptoms involved like feelings of sickness dizziness rashes when the pain in the hernia area was throbbing and most noticeable?

[Khernia11]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I Sincerely appreciate it and I’m glad to hear you are doing better after the removal surgery. So you had it done lariscopically when it was implanted and also removed? I saw somewhere here that the way It goes in is the way it must come out? I had mine done open and my first initial consultation from one of the surgeons who do open procedures on the list above said they could likely only get 60 to 90% out. Was that what you heard from your consultations as well? It was So disappointing to hear but I guess it’s difficult to get it all since overtime it merges with your wall etc. I am still reaching out to others on the list for multiple opinions.

Also, I was wondering what Were your main reasons why you went through with the removal…was it only pain issues or did you experience other symptoms such as feeling sick, intermittent dizziness spells\off-gate\fatigue or episodes of general malaise and rashes that would come and go? Thanks again for your reply.

[Khernia11]

Good intentions, “Recurrence is the measure of success, not quality of life” you hit it on the head right there I couldn’t agree with you more. Not a day goes by the past seven years where I don’t feel some level of discomfort of some sort and regret not getting a pure tissue fix. It should have been recommended by the surgeons for my small hernia at the time but you’re correct the medical community pushes the “ultimate” fix on the doctors nowadays to make money and without long term testing and in many cases fast tracking the approval if it’s approved it all and not pushed through under the FDA 501K process. I also wonder how many out there are suffering in silence where the pain isn’t that bad but the discomfort impacts your life…Are these people part of the numbers that you see in literature. Well I’ve never been contacted by anyone to ask how I’m doing since the 3 month follow-up after my surgery…

I am sorry to hear about your ordeal. How are you doing now? If you Don’t mind sharing, I have a few questions for you. Did you have open or lariscopic inguinal mesh removal? We’re they able to get it all out and do tissue fix? If so what method of fix? How tough and how long was the recovery? Thanks in advance.

[Khernia11]

When I had my left direct inguinal hernia is was mainly mild to moderate pain based on how active I was and burning in hernia area and down the left leg. I did not experience pins and needles but I imagine if you are diagnosed with it may be related. The surgery for me resolved the burning the first year and then it started to come back slowly after that.

Knowing what I know now, If you cannot conservatively manage the hernia now and you must move forward with surgery then I would only do a pure tissue fix and stay away from any permanent or Polypropylene meshes at all costs. A couple percent difference in reoccurrence rate is not worth having this in your body in my Opinion. A lot is coming out about it now how it is can cause chronic inflammatory conditions, allergies, Chemical sensitivities, and it can erode and cause systematic/autoimmune issues. I wish I could go back and change my decision but I can’t…but I can help you make an educated decision which I didn’t have seven years ago. Do your own research, Search the Internet talk to some of the surgeons on the site that only do pure tissue fixes and I believe your decision will be an easy one. Good luck to you!

[Khernia11]

Thank you both for the reply. I have reached out to a couple on the list to further assess my situation. Good advice for the letter, I will work on a concise summary.

Question: What imaging test and other medical results (type of specific blood work etc.) would most of these surgeons like to see with a summary? I would like to reach out to most of the list with a packet of information and get multiple opinions on this before deciding to move forward. I have seen “Dynamic MRI anterior pelvis with valsalva without contrast” mentioned here but not sure if this is best for my situation. I have also read that CT scans may not be best to use for polypropylene patches as it could potentially help to degrade it, not that it needs anymore help there as from what I’m reading it will erode/oxidize in time. Is there any truth to this?

I am not taking this lightly. I am in a situation where I’m not in extreme pain fortunately so have some time to research but I am dealing with these reoccurring issues. It doesn’t stop my daily activity but it definitely affects my quality of life in too many ways now. Thank you again for Everyone’s input and compassion it is humbly appreciated!