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Posted 11/4/2014 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
I am a little over a year and a half post RP.  Everything has gone well (member in good standing in the Zero Club) but about six months after surgery I noticed a bulge near the incisions.  My surgeon diagnosed this as an incisional hernia associated with my RP surgey.  It's now over a year later and I've decided to undergo hernia repair surgery.  Have any of you gone through this?  If so, what do you think regarding open vs. laproscopic?  How long a recuperation period should I expect and has anyone here who has gone through an incisional hernia repair had the hernia reappear?  Thanks! 
Posted 11/4/2014 4:02 PM (GMT 0)
I'll be watching your thread with interest and may be able to comment on it later. I am in the process of arranging to get my incisional hernia fixed and, depending on how the timing works out I suppose I might go first. I am trying get get it done at the same time as my implant and my sling which makes the logistics complicated -- I need to find openings in two surgeons' schedules at the same time and then convince them that the combined surgery is a good idea.
Posted 11/4/2014 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
ajct,

I had an incisional hernia repaired laparoscopically. A screen was used to cover the hernia. It's been over 4 years since the repair and I've had no problems; no reappearance.

I had the surgery in the morning and was home by noon. Recuperation was fast .... A lot quicker than for the DaVinci surgery. I believe I was a bit slow for a day, and then up and about. Had to be careful not to pick up heavy things for a couple of months.

Hope this helps, good luck.
Posted 11/4/2014 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
Three days after RALP an infection became apparent at the wound site which meant they had to unstitch it and let it heal "normally". Antibiotics to kill the infection apparently (subsequently discovered) didn't work so the infection proceeded eat away at my muscle wall. Had incisional hernia surgery three weeks ago. Was running and biking within 10 days. Hole was 4cm by 8cm, they used mesh to prevent recurrence.

My biggest issue was the hospital (MSK) never said this was a possibility, either pre RALP or post removing the stitches of the initial wound - the only blot on their copy book in my opinion.
Posted 11/4/2014 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting post. I am 3.5 years out of RARP and 2 or 3 times a year I get this tiny, pencil eraser sized protrusion right next to the main incision scar. Didn't think much of it. I laughed that I could remove it with a belt sander.

Is this thing dangerous? How much bigger or smaller are yours?
Posted 11/4/2014 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Peter: Hope the two surgeons can arrange their schedules so that everything can be done in one surgical session. I don't have a date yet but expect my surgery to be sometime later this month.

RCS: Hope I do as well as you. Thanks for the good wishes.

We can: Thanks for sharing your story.

Dave: My bulge is bigger than a pencil eraser, more like the size of a tennis ball....
Posted 11/4/2014 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
I developed a ventral hernia at the exit incision about 3 months after my DaVinci procedure in 2011. It grew to the size of a softball. I had a lap proceedure in April of `12 to repair it. The surgeon used a LARGE mesh patch attached with 32 tacks. Guess what, it failed. A CTscan revealed that one end of the patch had pulled loose. I was careful not to lift anything heavy as instructed,but I did have a bout of bronchitis which I suppose could have popped the tacks, go figure. In any event, the surgeon said that further surgeries have a significantly higher percentage of failure. At my age I`m just going to live with it unless of course it strangulates and then I would have no choice.
I`m sure you will have better luck than I had. A few things though, wear a GOOD hernia belt, do not lift anything heavier than 10 lbs and if you develop a cough get to the doctor immediately!
1snake
Posted 11/5/2014 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
I had a hernia after RT. My surgeon had to do an open procedure because of that - he wanted to stay as far away from the prostate as possible. He told me that they generally only do surgery to relive pain or if the hernia is causing some other problem.

Andrew
Posted 11/5/2014 1:07 AM (GMT 0)

I also develped a incisional hernia 12 mth after my RP had it fixed with open surgery .I found it no big deal no pain only overnight stay in hospital .

tony w

Posted 11/5/2014 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
My surgery date is two weeks from Friday, November 21. I'll let evryone know how it goes once I get home. Thx for all the replies and good wishes...
Posted 11/5/2014 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck and try not to stress about it I honestly can't remember any pain and mine was a big hernia caused they say by laparoscopic RP let us know how you go.
tony w yeah
Posted 11/6/2014 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
I have had 3 surgeries to repair hernias that originally was from RALP. Each hernia happened about 1 and 1/2 year after the last repair and was adjacent to the last surgery. My surgeon said that when he pulled the stomach wall to close the hernia it weakened the wall around the hernia causing a new hernia. He was reluctant to use a mesh because of the risk of infection in the internal organs. This last time he used a mesh and said that they had developed a method so the mesh would not touch the internal organs. None of the surgeries were painful and did not require a stay in the hospital. The only downside was lifting restrictions. This last time he told me not to lift anything over 10 pounds for about 8 weeks.
Posted 11/6/2014 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, guys....
Posted 11/6/2014 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
I have an incisional hernia from laparoscopic gallbladder removal done in April this year. I blamed the surgeon but I see on this site that it happens more often than I had thought. I had read before my surgery that it only happened about 2% of the time and usually to overweight people and those out of shape, neither of which applies to me. I had a big coughing spell when I awoke from anesthesia so maybe that had something to do with it.

I have not been able to get it repaired yet, waiting on finishing my proton treatment first. My research showed fewer complications and failures with the laparoscopic repair using mesh. I went to 2 surgeons and asked for the total number of operations they had done, complication and failure rates. Both gave me their numbers.
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