There are very few medical conditions that can leave you breathless with pain like a hernia can. Thousands of patients require surgery each year for their hernia issues. The most common type of surgery involves the use of medical mesh that helps to support the tissue where the hernia has occurred.
Unfortunately, in the past decade since the mesh has been in regular use, there has been an avalanche of cases where there have been complications of hernia mesh. In many cases, the type of mesh that was used on patients has been recalled by the manufacturer due to issues. This has resulted in national mesh injury lawsuits for patient damages.
If you have had hernia surgery that involved the use of hernia mesh, it is a good idea to know all of the complications that have happened with other patients. Most issues result in severe pain that requires additional surgery to correct. Over 90% of hernia surgeries require the use of mesh and ⅓ of patients have complications. Those are some scary numbers. Here are just some of the more common things that could go wrong.
Adhesion
The mesh creates scar tissue in the area and can actually bond the two sides of tissue together, forming a permanent blockage. This will have to be corrected by additional surgery.
Infection
The mesh is eventually rejected by the body and infection can set in. Surgery is required to remove the mesh and an antibiotic regimens is begun.
Bowel Obstruction
Mesh that is placed along the bowel can move to cause its own obstruction or it can create scar tissue that acts as a blockage in the bowel. This can lead to a perforation from the build-up of waste.
Migration
The mesh can become detached from the initial placement area and move around the abdomen freely. This can cause extreme pain and possible damage to other tissues.
Bowel Perforation
In rare cases, the detachment of the mesh can cause a rip in the bowel or a puncture hole. This can be fatal if not addressed via surgery immediately, as the bowel will leak into the abdomen, causing septic poisoning.
Rejection
Your immune system is triggered when a foreign object such as mesh is put inside the body. In some cases your body will reject the object by creating an infection and possible fever. The mesh will need to be surgically removed and the infection properly treated with antibiotics.
These are the most common types of complications that can and have occurred with the use of mesh in hernia operations. If you have already had the surgery or are planning to undergo the procedure, talk to your doctor about the risks. Find out what type of mesh — if any — will be used during your surgery, and educate yourself about the types of mesh that have been taken off the market.
Lora Y.