(Newswire.net — February 27, 2018) — Over the last several decades, mesh implants have been used to treat a variety of common conditions among adult men and women throughout the UK. In many instances, mesh surgeries can be a successful, long-term solution to health issues like incontinence, prolapse, and hernias; however, there are growing concerns over the use of mesh to correct these problems moving forward. Based on an increased number of complaints of chronic pain from individuals who received mesh repair surgery for a hernia, surgeons and patients alike are calling for a review of the ongoing use of mesh in corrective surgeries.
Hernias take place in an estimated one in ten adults, with more than 70,000 patients receiving treatment in the NHS for hernias each year. The use of mesh in hernia repair surgery is the recommended method for treating the condition, but many are finding that little discussion around the risks and potential complications, as well as the alternatives to mesh treatment is taking place among patients and doctors. The very public outcry of women experiencing similar devastating issues after pelvic mesh implant surgeries is sparking a new wave of complaints from men who have experienced similar issues after hernia treatment.
Complexities Post-Procedure
There are several reason hernias may form in the body, including obesity, ongoing constipation, or other issues that cause persistent pressure to be placed on the abdomen. Hernias may form at the belly button, along the upper stomach or diaphragm, the inner or outer groin area, through an incision or scar, or in the abdominal wall. In each case, a hernia involves an organ pushing through a muscle or tissue wall, in some cases causing an external bulge. A hernia that goes untreated is painful, and so it is not uncommon to for patients to be given immediate options for treatment.
Mesh surgery for hernia repair is the most widely used solution for the common condition, but it may not prove to be the best course of action for many patients. A team of medical malpractice solicitors explains that although many hernia mesh repair surgeries are completed without major complications, the patients who experience a problem post-procedure may face life-altering consequences. For some, chronic pain is a problem, as the mesh contracts or migrates to another area of the body. For other patients, the insertion of mesh leaves ample room for an infection to take place, causing more harm than good in the long run. Some patients may also experience more complex side effects, including bowel obstruction or recurrence of a hernia in the future.
In addition to these complicated after-effects of hernia mesh repair surgery, patients feel a sense of hopelessness that cannot be addressed or corrected easily. This is because the removal of the mesh causing infection, pain, or recurrence is not a simple procedure. Depending on the location of the mesh implant and the severity of the symptoms, patients may not have the option of removing the mesh at all. Each of these factors leads to a necessary call to action from surgeons and regulators of medical techniques and devices to focus on alternatives with fewer risks.
Focusing on Viable Alternatives
According to leading medical regulators, hernia repair with the help of mesh is not the only solution to a broken down muscle wall or connective tissue within the body. Surgeons have the option to offer laparoscopic surgery, which involves making small incisions in the abdomen and then using sutures, without mesh, to repair the tear. In some cases, a hernia may reoccur after the muscle or tissue heals, but the risk of infection and other complex side effects are far lower with this treatment choice. In other situations, patients may have an option with an open repair procedure, which also avoids the use of mesh. Discussing the alternatives and the potential risks and complications of each with patients is a necessary step in the right direction.
The outcry over pelvic mesh implants and the life-changing impacts they have had on thousands of women in the UK has been loud enough to get the attention of regulators and medical providers alike. However, no organisation is yet encouraged to include hernia mesh in the review of recommended treatment options for patients. As more men and women come together to share their experiences after hernia mesh repair surgery, the hope is that a full review of the go-to treatment for hernias will take place and be adjusted as needed.