There is an abundance of misinformation on the internet about hernia mesh. A lot of this confusion is because there have been several mesh products that have been discontinued over the past decade. But not all mesh is the same. There are different materials, different ways the mesh is constructed and some mesh should only be used in certain types of hernia repair. Additionally some mesh is permanent (designed not to degrade over time) and some newer mesh is temporary (designed to degrade slowly over months or years).
Dr.
Mesh is still used in more than 90% of the 1.6 million hernia repairs done in the United States every year. Overall, using mesh in hernia repairs is very safe. Most mesh is made of plastic and is very soft and flexible, like a piece of fabric. We still use mesh frequently because it greatly lowers the risk of your hernia coming back. Using mesh in a hernia repair strengthens the tissue in the area so that it is much stronger than before surgery.
Most mesh is designed to be scaffolding that your body’s tissues can literally grow into to form a hybrid of the mesh material and your body’s natural cells. This makes the mesh very effective and very well tolerated in most patients. Only an expert hernia surgeon can advise you on which mesh is best suited to your hernia and in some cases, whether mesh is needed at all. Dr. Farrow has thousands of happy hernia patients who have had mesh hernia repairs and are living active, pain-free lives after their surgery. Schedule your consultation today with Dr. Farrow to find out whether a hernia repair is necessary and get back to being you!