TLH: Hysterectomy after Hernia surgery....?

Two years ago I developed two rather large hernia bulges. Had emergency surgery to fix and now have mesh running across my entire area from belly button down to near the bikini line. My doctor has reviewed my surgery notes, and says that laproscopic is the best option to avoid complications with the mesh. He did advise that the surgery time will be much longer as him and the other gyn surgeon will have to move slow and carefully.

Has anyone else had a hysterectomy after a hernia surgery? I have not read of anyone having this before... which makes me a tad nervous.

Any input to calm my nerves :-) surgery is 6 days away, and today it finally Realllly hit me. Very emotional today.

I really don't want to make you any more nervous but I do have quite a LOT to share with you about this! I had a small abdominal hernia repaired with what turned out to be staph-infected mesh. The staph spread as metastatic sepsis and needed to be surgically removed from all over my body. Any foreign body within our own bodies are amazingly vulnerable to infection so please discuss this with your surgeon and the nurses and your primary doctor and anyone who will listen. You will be fine... I had a bad doctor who wouldn't listen to my repeated statements that something was wrong and that I felt sick in a strange way. He just kept saying the wound looked fine and to get more rest. By the time I found someone to listen it was far too late for me but forewarned is forearmed! You will be FINE!!!! If you do get an infection they can treat it early and it will be no problem at all. I am not trying to worry or scare you with my cautionary tale... I only want it to be that no one ever has to do what I did!
As for surgery with a repaired hernia, it is much the same as with no hernia. After healing, your natural tissue grows to the mesh and they become one so a small incision won't undo the repair as long as it's not right in the middle of the mesh. You could ask that maybe they insert a scope first to make sure they will be making the other 'cuts' in places where there is either no mesh or no mesh alone? I am not meaning this as medical advice in any way of course.... I have just spent the last three years having mesh 'installed' and removed and have picked up some info along the way.
But watch for infection. The best defense and all that I hope you have a peaceful six days and an easy surgery!

I had a femoral hernia repair 7 years ago - not as large an area as yours, and more in the groin so it wasn't too much in the way. My hysterectomy was a TAH and the scar does come close to the hernia scar but my docs had no problem at all. I healed very well, no complications. It sounds like your doctor is wisely cautious and unlikely to rush or take chances so that's good. I'd worry more if they said it wouldn't take more time! You want them to take the time to do it right.

I had a belly button and uper tummy hernia repair 2 years ago. So I was concerned about the mesh wire and stuff. I had asked about it before we did all the final MRI and CAT and he said it would be fine they could avoid it they would go in further away. I ended up having a TAH though since my cyst were so huge.

Thank you.... I appreciate all of the words of encouragement and of experience

Hi sunshinechick,

My story is kinda like Mary Nic's. I had a ventral hernia repair several yrs ago, with mesh. 3 months afterwards, the strep infection manifested itself and I had to have emerg surgery to remove the mesh and drain the infected fluid that collected. I recovered from that. I had a TLH last month and my doc had to make 5 small incisions (including umbilical) to safely manuever around the adhesions that had formed from previous surgeries, but also were contributed by the infection. All in all, everything turned out ok. Just be certain to watch your abdominal area well for any excess redness and/or tenderness. I didn't realize infection was setting in (remember, it was 3 months later) because I had no sensation in my abdomen after the hernia repair. I didn't detect any tenderness, but there was a red area that started developing "out of nowhere." Other symptoms of infection started which caused me to get myself checked out......emerg surgery was the outcome.

This is in no way an effort to frighten you; it is to make you aware of what to look out for. Your doctor is likely experienced in dealing w/these types of things and knows what to watch for and how to go about helping you have a successful surgical course. Take good care!

I was wondering the same thing!!! I did ask the doctor about this, because of my ablation he told me that I was not a good candidate for laproscopic or vaginal hyster so it will be a TAH. But 2 years ago I had a rather large inguanal hernia repaired and the scar runs the length of my bikini line from my belly button to my side. The doctor told me that he would have to make the incision a little higher to avoid the mesh, and that everything would be fine. Since I trust his judgement I think that everything will be fine.

PS I checked and my two scars (hernia and TAH) come close together at one end. About the width of my little finger between them at that end. So that's pretty close and I had no problems whatsoever.