The Iskandar Complex Hernia Center Answers Questions About Hernia Mesh

Waxahachie, Texas -

The Iskandar Complex Hernia Center, based in Waxahachie, TX, is encouraging patients to learn more about hernia mesh. This is an important tool in hernia repair which many people have questions about if they or a loved one is scheduled for a procedure that may require it.

To give interested parties a head start on the subject, the Iskandar Center has published a new article that aims to answer fifteen of the top questions their own patients have posed to them over the years in regards to surgical mesh.

To begin with, the article explains that a hernia mesh functions as a screen between two sections; it provides a barrier of sorts that prevents tissue from slipping out of place. In surgery, a flat screen made of multiple viable materials is used to act as a barrier that prevents organs or tissue from pressing through the hernia defect. This is the hernia mesh, and it is most often made of polypropylene or polyester. Hernia meshes need to be made of such materials in order to ensure they do not cause an unpleasant reaction in the body.

Hernia meshes can be made out of either synthetic or biological material. The latter, for instance, can utilize modified animal tissue for this purpose. Furthermore, some meshes are permanent as they are not meant to dissolve over time. Others are designed to be absorbed into the body naturally, and the precise type of mesh used will depend on several criteria, such as the location of the patient’s hernia as well as its size, risk of infection and so on.

The article explains, “Absorbable meshes are designed over time to dissolve into the body and can last on average between six months and two years. Permanent meshes are for long-term reinforcement and do not dissolve.”

Since each case is different, the Center states that their surgical team will select a hernia mesh that best suits the patient’s needs, and they exclusively use FDA-approved mesh reinforcement for this purpose. This lowers the risk of a hernia recurring because it supports the tissue around the original defect as it heals. The mesh may be attached by any of a number of methods, including sutures, staples, or surgical glue (again, each of these options is made of body-safe materials). The reason a mesh is used instead of an impermeable surface is that this is intended to allow the patient's tissue to grow into the device’s pores, in turn stabilizing the mesh and tissue alike and making the area stronger as a whole. Notably, hernia mesh is used in the overwhelming majority of hernia cases in the US — the Center states that as many as nine out of ten hernia surgeries annually use the device in the US alone.

As with any surgical procedure or tool, there is some risk associated with the use of hernia meshes. However, most patients who have a synthetic hernia mesh used in their hernia repair procedure will recover without any associated issues whatsoever, and the Center confirms that they will typically be able to return to their regular lifestyle once recovery is complete.

The article states, “Multiple clinical studies have shown that mesh repairs carry a lower recurrence rate than non-mesh repairs with a few exceptions. Like any other implantable device, Mesh placement has the potential for problems (e.g., vascular graft, joint or heart valve replacement, etc). Infections, excessive scar tissue, erosion into other organs, chronic discomfort, and other problems are all rare but possible side effects of mesh hernia treatments.”

A great deal more information on hernia meshes can be found in the full article, including how strong such meshes are designed to be, how patients may learn whether a mesh was used in their procedure and more. The Iskandar Complex Hernia Center, as their name suggests, specializes in the treatment and repair of complex hernias, as well as other abdominal procedures, and patients are often referred to their expert care for the highest chance of success. As such, they consider it their duty to ensure every patient fully understands the procedures they are to undertake, through direct communication and informative articles like that above and a recent article on Diastasis Recti.