Anyone here ever have a ventrial hernia? Looks like I have one.

[CTyankee]

At a routine checkup with my cardiologist I brought up my "belly fat" which, after he examined my abdomen, turns out to be a ventrial hernia. I had extensive abdominal surgery in 2007 and this is probably as a result of that situation. He was calling my surgeon to fill her in and I called for an appointment asap. Her office warned me that she was going away and was totally booked until March! I've pleaded for one of her associates to see me. Their practice is considered the best in my city (New Haven, which has a pretty strong medical community, given that Yale has its medical school here) so I'd like to stay with them.

I'm interested in hearing from anyone here who has experienced this type of situation. I'm worried that this might develop into a "strangulated" hernia the longer I have to wait and obviously that is NOT a desirable situation to get into!

[Captain Hilts]

1. What's a 'ventral hernia'?

I don't 'get' it.

[CTyankee]

4. Something like a tear in the muscle wall that permits part of the intestine to "fall"

and thus protrudes outward looking like you are "fat" on only one side of the abdomen. Violent coughing and heavy lifting can bring it on but it often happens after previous abdominal surgery which is what I had. that, and getting older, contribute to it.

[kestrel91316]

2. The medical term is ventral. You have had this thing since 2007 -

no need to panic. But deal with it as soon as you can, don't drag things out, and probably shouldn't exercise too vigorously in the meantime (don't wanna push bowel loops into the hole).

[CTyankee]

3. Actually, I had one in 2007 after the other surgeries and the surgeon fixed it.

But I have resumed aerobics and I have had a recent nasty bout with bronchitis (LOTS of coughing) and of course, I've been out shoveling snow! Sounds like I did just the right things to get myself into this situation...

[Tammie]

5. I had one

I didn't even know it. It popped about a year after I had colon surgery. I was shoveling snow when the pain started. I went to the doc and she had me see the surgeon the same day. It was incarcerated and the surgeon scheduled surgery the following week. I'm fine now. I don't shovel snow anymore though.

[CTyankee]

6. I don'thave any pain so I guess mine isn't incarcerated ("strangulated").

However, I don't like sitting around waiting since I knowit is better to take preventive action that wait for an urgent situation where more complications could take place.

Was your surgery laparoscopic or "open"? From what I read online, if you've had extensive abdominal surgery in the past you might not be a candidate for the laparoscopic surgery.

Right now Ijust want to get rid of this stupid lump on the right side of my belly...

[Tammie]

8. I had open surgery

Laproscopic wasn't even suggested. I had a bowel resection the year prior. I was a little surprised that the surgeon didn't use mesh for the repair, but he said it wasn't necessary in my case. The hernia repair was done outpatient and I was off work for three weeks. The surgery was really no big deal, but I think I would have that opinion of any surgery after the bowel resection. That was an ass-kicker.

Good Luck and I hope all goes well.

[CTyankee]

9. Yes, I too had extensive colon surgery and was in the hospital for

6 weeks, then rehab for 2 weeks and home, with a temporary colostomy, having a visiting nurse come every day to dress the incision wound for two more months. I had a hernia develop then but had it fixed when the colostomy was reversed. That last surgery was not all that bad compared to the complications I had had earlier (scar tissue blocking my intestine, pools of abscess developing after that requiring more surgery, etc). I know what you mean!

[Tammie]

11. Oh, Wow!

You really went through the mill! I didn't have to have a colostomy bag. I had an abcessed colon and it was touch and go on whether I would have to have emergency surgery. The docs were looking for a perforation because my WBC was so bad, but I got away with several days in the hospital with IV's and no food. Then I got to recover for 2 months before they went in to remove the damaged portion of my colon and they were able to reattach everything right on the spot. Still, it was a big deal for me. I never, ever had an operation before then. So sorry that you had to go through so much.

[CTyankee]

12. I'm glad for you. It was just monumental bad luck on my part, actually.

It's one of those things: you either develop scar tissue or you don't and there is no test you can take, and no way you can know whether you will or you won't when you have the initial surgery. The whole reason for my initial surgery (it was laparoscopic assisted) was to cure my problem of repeated bouts of diverticulitis. I feared an emergency situation if the infection burst the wall of the intestine. So I had the preventive surgery and then the unexpected scar tissue block occurred a few days after the surgery. By the way, the surgeon who removed the damaged colon section from the first surgery said that from what he observed I WOULD have had an emergency situation at some point. So I would have had the same outcome, I just avoided the emergency situation and I am glad about that, at least!

[Ecumenist]

13. Did you have a mesh repair ?

I have to have a myomectomy and I would rather have the open abdominal myomectomy with the repair to follow.

[Ecumenist]

7. Yes, I have one that I'm dealing with as a result of extensive

surgeries in my abdomen. :hi:

[CTyankee]

10. Sounds like the boat I was in. See above post with my long sad tale.

I had hoped I'd be done with all this, but I feel better now knowing what it is.

Are you having yours repaired any time soon? I read that these things won't just "get better" on their own, that you have no choice but the surgery...

[JeanGrey]

14. You need surgery - and they will more than likely put "mesh"

in there to hold it. I had this done twice after extensive surgeries (liver transplant).

It isn't too bad a surgery and the alternative is worse if it ruptures.