I finally had hy hernia taken care of yesterday, after a 5 month wait. It was done with a DR and a robot. I'm in almost no pain, and lite meds, mostly Tylenol. They put elastic band around me, and this morning I took it off to have a look. I have 3 small holes in my stomach. When I had the other side done some years ago, I had a large cut, and put back together with lots of staples, which had to be removed. I'm amassed, how much surgery changes in about 10 years. Just thought I would say how much hernia surgery changed in 10years

 

I had a bilateral laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair performed ~8 years ago. I also had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed ~26 years ago. In that case it was performed via a colleague who taught laparoscopic surgery.

 

Hernia repair has changed a lot. I developed pain from a hernia so bad I had to leave an outdoor job. I went straight to a doctor who could visibly see the "bulge" of my intestines protruding. "Surgery" was rapidly scheduled. When they were inside, they discovered I had FOUR ripped areas in the inguinal ring that needed the mesh repair. A couple weeks of healing and I was off and running again. Arthoscopic surgery is wonderful. Minimal trauma and quick healing is so much better.
........Just my two cents worth.

 

Small clarification. Inguinal hernia repairs are termed laparoscopic surgeries while repairs of the limbs are termed arthroscopic surgical repairs. The primary delta involves the abdomen - w/ laparoscopic repairs involving a lifting of the abdomen (abdominal cavity), while arthroscopic repairs don't involve the abdomen or abdominal cavity. Instead, arthroscopic surgeries involve primarily limb joints. However, in both cases they do employ minimally invasive punctures to facilitate the repair(s). JS

 

If you delay the surgical repair and allow the hernia to expand too far, the less invasive procedure becomes less of an option. Then, the alternative procedure becomes the dreaded surgical zipper.

 

I had dual inguinal repairs 8-9 years ago. Mesh was installed on both sides. It was a conventional surgery, no staples but 5-6" scar on both sides with the stitches that dissolve. It was a week before i could really move around and a few weeks until I was mostly pain free with the exception of farting/sneezing and things of that nature..

 

I was getting out of the Navy in 1979. Got a "pre-separation" physical and was told I had a hernia. I didn't even know anything was wrong! Anyway got it fixed a Balboa Naval Hospital. It was done the old school way. Yep all surgeries have come a long way.

 

Good to hear that they fixed you up.

 

For those without the personal experience, these hernias are muscle tears. These tears progress over time. They do not heal themselves without surgical intervention. They lengthen and become more painful over time until you obtain surgical intervention.

 

Yes, the advancements in the medical field are crazy! In 2000 my wifes surgeon for her back told us she needs to put off her back surgery as long as we possibly can for several reasons. One of those reasons was because of the advancements coming in that field. Well, in 2000 she finely couldn't put it off any longer and had 13 vertebra fused. It was a crazy bad time in recovery but compared to what it would have been in 2000, it was way better.