Has anyone had the mesh used to repair a prolapse/hernia removed?

[MrsMoastyToasty]

After the recent controversy regarding the use of mesh in surgical repairs has anyone decided to get it removed?
I had one fitted about 4 years ago and am starting to get some of the known side effects
Was your surgery successful? Recovery times? Any complications?

Bump

Bumping for the UK afternoon crowd

Where is your mesh?

It's in my groin (to repair a femoral and an inguinal hernia).

So mesh has been used to repair groin hernias for decades with minimal risk. There is a slightly higher risk of infection initially (within days to weeks) but once healed it is vanishingly unusual to see issues. We certainly don’t see issues like urologists/gynae have with the vaginal meshes.

Removal of a mesh from the groin once incorporated into your tissue is very difficult and is likely to cause not only a recurrence of your hernia but also damage to the surrounding structures.

I’d leave it well alone and if I had a hernia repair in my groin tomorrow I’d still have mesh used.

So deterioration of the mesh wouldn't bother you?

I have abdominal mesh that has been fine since 2009, so 9 years. I had lots of abdo surgery between 1996 and 2004 for lots of reasons.

I would never have vaginal or other mesh. My personal view is that it's good for big jobs, that are not nerve sensitive, but a bit rubbish at smaller and more personal repair.

The mesh doesn’t deteriorate - it’s a permanent structure. It becomes incorporated into your own tissues.

welshweasel are you speaking from the point of view of a patient who has gone through this procedure ?
I'm trying to get personal experiences.

I have also read reports and seen television programmes highlighting complications that people, both male and female, several years after surgery.

Nope I’m a surgeon who’s done many hundreds of groin hernia repairs. The only time I’ve had to remove a mesh has been for infection in the early post op period. We just don’t see the issues such as erosion that the tvt meshes have caused. Intra abdominal mesh I am more wary of as it can cause bowel problems and I definitely try to avoid where possible and have a frank conversation with the patient if I feel I may need to use it. But for groin hernias it’s fine - no evidence to suggest issues and it’s the gold standard procedure across the world and has been for many decades.

Hi a bit late as usual, very interested I had a TRAM flap for breast reconstruction. I had mesh to support lower abdominal muscles. This was 20 years ago but have lower abdominal pain and hernia since. I had more mesh put in after 1 year but am now in pain almost on a daily basis for the last 6/7 years, could this be the mesh?
Thank you.

I’ve had a mesh implant since I had a hernia repair in 1979. It hasn’t given me a bit of bother. I don’t even know I’ve got it.