UOAA Discussion Board

I was given this website address by my surgeon and am posting this question with hopes of multiple answers. I have had a colostomy for going on 12 years that happened as a result of a recurring anal tumor with my stoma on my left abdomen. I now have 2 hernias (umbilical and to the left of the stoma) that have been slowly but surely growing larger. I wear super firm girdles now but am very self-conscious about the change in my appearance.
I've had two different surgeons tell me that the hernia mesh surgery (one called it abdominal wall replacement) is a 50/50 proposition as far as success and that it quite likely comes with complications. I was told both times that my goal should be to put that option off as long as possible.
Last year I saw a new surgeon and he was all about the idea of me having this surgery and had patients who'd had it with no complications. I feel conflicted about my options. I'm 71, active, in good physical shape and, on paper anyway, in excellent health. I'm not sure I have another major surgery in me especially with potential negligible results. I'm wondering if anybody out there has had this surgery recently (or fairly recently) and what your feelings are about it.
I appreciate all input.

Hi Jody,
I have a permanent colostomy due to colorectal cancer. My original APR surgery was in March of 2009. Developed a hernia and subsequently had it repaired in the summer of 2016. The surgery itself was not a big deal for me....however, I developed ileus, which can occur with a simple colonoscopy, that lasted for 12 days....that was miserable. Then after the ileus was resolved, my incision site got infected and opened up right before coming home, so I had to see a wound doc until the wound healed....8 months later! That said, those two complications could have happened with any surgery, and it's not specific to parastomal hernia repairs...I just got lucky! Anyway, I'm not a sit around and protect my hernia type of person. I still work everyday, go swimming and scuba diving when I get the chance. And, I'm an active hunter, so climbing in and out of ladder stands and stomping through marshes is something that I continue to do on a regular basis. Those choices have led to another parastomal hernia that I plan on getting repaired sometime this summer/early fall. Hope that helps some.

David

I developed a hernia where my surgical incision had been. Got it repaired with mesh, was fine for several years, until I had another abdominal surgery, when they were required to remove all the old mesh (any time it is exposed to air, it has to be removed, they said ). The mesh removal added hours to the surgery.

They didn't replace the mesh, hernia recurred in about a year. During another surgery, they repaired the new hernia without mesh, but it came back again a year later.
I'm living with it until I can't.