Reports of 90 – 99% success rates are common. Mesh repairs, in many cases, offer a smaller chance of hernia recurrence rate than non-mesh repairs. Unfortunately, some repairs may lead to very high incidence of chronic pain, which can range from 5-15%. The key is to find a surgeon that performs a lot of hernia surgery.
The latest hernia repair techniques usually allow you to return to normal activities within 2 weeks. Gentle exercise, such as walking, can help the healing process. Heavy lifting and strenuous activities should be avoided for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Most patients will have by now returned to their school and work responsibilities without any lifting restrictions. You should be about 95% of your usual self; you may expect to be at 100% within a few days or weeks, depending on your age, how quickly you usually heal, and whether you were healthy before the operation.
Most people can expect a full recovery about four to six weeks after the procedure. A typical recovery progression follows this timeline: Week 1: You may walk and do some light stretching. Lift as little as possible and take any prescribed painkillers to stay ahead of discomfort.
You should also be able to return to work after 1 or 2 weeks, although you may need more time off if your job involves manual labour. Gentle exercise, such as walking, can help the healing process, but you should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Will my stomach shrink after hernia repair? The size of your stomach will not necessarily shrink after a hernia repair. However, depending on the cause of your hernia and the type of repair you have, you may experience changes in your abdominal appearance after surgery.
RESULTS Results showed that out of the 88 patients enrolled in this study 35 (39.8%) experienced mild pain, 37(42%) experience moderate pain and only 16 (18.2%) experienced severe pain. Quality of life was satisfactory in 72(81%) and unsatisfactory in 13(14.7%).
Within a few months, the incisions are barely visible. Benefits of laparoscopic hernia surgery include three tiny scars rather than one larger incision, less pain after surgery, a quicker return to work and a shorter recovery time (days instead of weeks).
Experiencing pain after hernia surgery is part of the normal healing process. If you had inguinal hernia surgery in the groin area and your pain after surgery is lasting longer than six months, however, it is considered to be chronic pain. Chronic pain is not normal and should never be ignored.
Surgical Site
Abdominal bloating is common. Bruising and funny colors are normal and will fade over the first week. It is common for swelling of genital areas and fluid accumulation in the groin after hernia surgery; sometimes this can feel firm like a lump.
The most common issue experienced by patients with mesh repairs is a sensation of “feeling” the mesh after certain types of hernia surgeries (different surgeons use different techniques), along with pain and discomfort in the days after surgery.
Symptoms that indicate hernia mesh failure include: Bloating and inability to pass stool. Area around the surgical site is unusually warm, hot, sore and/or tender. Fever or other flu-like symptoms.
Deep breathing and circulation exercises are good. Try to avoid vigorous coughing if your repair was done with the open method. Coughing may strain your incision. For a couple of weeks, when you need to cough or sneeze, splint your incision.
It is possible that the repair is still intact and bulging of the mesh causes swelling. Bulging can be the result of an insufficient surgical technique. The problem is more frequently seen after repair of large defects, especially when mesh are used to bridge the defects, and more frequent after laparoscopic repair,,.
Lifting, pushing and pulling
In the first week, do not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds, or more than 20 pounds by the second week. By week two you can increase the frequency and duration of your walks, however.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that hernia mesh is a permanent implant. It means that once implanted; it is not designed to be removed. The FDA also states that hernia mesh should last a lifetime.
Open hernia repair is a major surgery that's performed with the aid of general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation. It's done through one or two standard-sized incisions (three to six inches in length) that allow the surgeon to fully visualize and access the problematic area.
Most patients make a full recovery in 4-6 weeks after surgery. Hernia surgery is a major abdominal operation and a certain amount of postoperative pain occurs. Nausea and vomiting is also common.
Surgical mesh is used to strengthen the area around the hernia to reduce the rate of recurrence. The chances of hernia recurrence are decreased by up to 50% when using mesh. Research has consistently shown a lower recurrence rate using mesh versus hernia repair without mesh.
If your hernia becomes painful or gets in the way of your daily living, your doctor may advise surgery. Even if the hernia does not cause pain, surgery can be considered in some cases to prevent future complications.
The risk of death as the most severe complication in inguinal hernia repair has an incidence of 0.004%, which is very low in developed countries.
People who have a mesh plug used to repair their hernias often feel the mesh plug. While it's not always painful, some chronic pain issues are likely due to the shape and location of the mesh plug.
Hernia Repair with Mesh
Surgery is the only treatment that can permanently repair a hernia. Hernia mesh is used in about 90 percent of those surgeries, according to the FDA.
Your Recovery
You should feel better after a few days and will probably feel much better in 7 days. For several weeks you may feel discomfort or pulling in the hernia repair when you move. You may have some bruising near the repair site and on your genitals. This is normal.