I have been hospitalized three times in the past four years for a partial bowel obstruction and, quite frankly, I'm sick of having that NG tube shoved up my nose! I'm wondering if anyone has had successful peristomal hernia repair. It is my understanding that the hernias are very difficult to repair and usually result in reruptures and more surgery. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I submitted this question several months ago but will try again. I just got home from an 8 day hospital stay due to a partial bowel obstruction. I developed a peristomal hernia after my surgery 15 years ago and this thing has taken on a life of it's own! I have been hospitalized three times in the past four years for a partial bowel obstruction and, quite frankly, I'm sick of having that NG tube shoved up my nose! I'm wondering if anyone has had successful peristomal hernia repair. It is my understanding that the hernias are very difficult to repair and usually result in reruptures and more surgery. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I have been hospitalized three times in the past four years for a partial bowel obstruction and, quite frankly, I'm sick of having that NG tube shoved up my nose! I'm wondering if anyone has had successful peristomal hernia repair. It is my understanding that the hernias are very difficult to repair and usually result in reruptures and more surgery. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!Sherrine
I've had a peristomal hernia repaired. Like you, I kept having partial obstructions. My surgeon seemed to feel the repair was fairly routine. He did tell me that sometimes they have to move the stoma to the other side, but it can usually be repaired.
How long ago did you have your hernia repaired? How long have you had the hernia? Was it very large? You are about the only one who seems to have had good results!
Sherrine
I also have a hernia. I recently wrote the post "is it a hernia or something else?" cuz i wasn't sure what i had. But on Friday i got my suspicions confirmed that it was indeed a parastomal hernia. I've been referred to a surgeon & am waiting for an appt to see what my options are. I don't know alot about hernias, but from what i've read, it seems quite common for ostomates (especially colostomates) to get them. And the preferred method to fix them is by using mesh. Here is what i found on another website:
Under local anaesthesia, a small incision is made over the site of the hernia. The peritoneal bulge is returned to where it belongs, as before, but the repair is achieved by placing a piece of fine (inert and sterile) mesh at the opening in the tissue. This is firmly held in place and the outer incision closed. The whole operation takes minutes to perform. Unlike other techniques, even those now using mesh, our approach does not require any stitching together of the muscle tissue at all, thus eliminating the tension induced by other methods. The healing process starts to take place immediately in that - sensing the presence of the fine mesh - the muscle and tendon send out fibrous tissue which grows around and through the mesh, incorporating it in a way similar to the placing of the steelwork inside reinforced concrete. It is not a 'patch' stuck on the outside, but a total, tension-free reinforcement inside the abdominal wall.
http://www.hernia.org/methodsafter.html
The rate of reoccurance seems very low with this method (although you could always develop another in a different spot, i suppose). I probably shouldn't be going on about this since i've never even talked to my surgeon yet about it. But i, myself, needed some reassurance about this, so i hope it did the same for you.
Suzie
Hi, Suzie! Thanks for the input. I've heard negative things about the mesh for ostomates. Three different surgeons have told me that they don't advise mesh. They told me that it could cause infections. Now, you must realize that my hernia is a lot bigger than a regular hernia. I've had it for 15 years and it's the size of a soccer ball! For me, I will need to be completely opened up again and will have to have my stoma moved to the other side of my abdomen! UGH! I've been told that ostomates that have hernia repairs usually need to have more surgery, since it reruptures.
I'd give anything if my hernia repair would be as easy as it says on the site you sent me. Maybe it is for regular hernias or small peristomal hernias. Please let me know what your surgeon tells you. I'm so confused and uncomfortable! 
Thanks!
Thanks!Sherrine
I know it has been a long time since your post, but I have been reading and I was wondering how you found out about this hernia thing? Was it through your gi docter or surgen? My gi did a scan in July and said there was no obstruction, but I keep having this terrible pain when I sit down and in my lower to mid abdomin...... I don't have a colin/lg intestines, I have a perm ileostomy due to being toxic of colitis a year and a half ago. Right now my gi suggest to see my surgen, i have not seen since my surgery. I don't know what this pain is, but if I had a colin I would swear I was having a flair up!!!! I know we are not docs but am looking for some ideas.Blockege?????? I am still emptining my bag regularly. I don't know.... now I cry......Anybody??????
hugggggggggggggggggggssssssssssssssssssss.................................
michelle
Hi! I went back to my surgeon and had him check me out. I felt the muscle rip when I coughed hard so I was pretty sure I knew what had happened. The surgeon verified it.
If you are having a blockage, even a partial bowel obstruction, your output stops or nearly stops. You have cramping and usually vomitting. Not fun, I can assure you. I just got home today from another stay at the hospital because of this...the fourth time in four years. (My last hospitalization for a partial bowel obstruction was only six weeks ago!) The doctors don't want to operate. They say my problem is caused by adhesions and, by operating, I'll only get more adhesions and more problems. So, I guess I'll have to live with this problem. But it sure could be a lot worse! So, I'm not complaining.
The doctors no longer use mesh . They use a gortex patch so your intestine doesnt grow into the mesh .
Actually, the Gore-Tex is mesh. I've had three hernias repaired; two inguinal and one femoral.
Breast Cancer at 36. Diagnosed in 2000. Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction.
Breast Cancer at 36. Diagnosed in 2000. Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction.
Status post colon resection, but now heading towards a total colectomy in September.
Son diagnosed with Crohn's at 17 (now 20). Taking Asacol and 6MP with Prednisone and Rowasa added during flareups.
I am so sorry for all that you have been through. My question to you is how did they find the Peristomaol Hernia? Because I am having stomach attacks that are horrible, a hernia or an ulcer has been brought into the picture of what my problem is. I have had nothing but trouble after my surgery for the colon resection. I just need answers and doctors are baffled. I also don't have insurance and can't get the right testing to find out. What were your symptoms?
I had my colostomy last May. At first I thought the swelling was just post op,but found out I had a parastomal hernia. I wear a hernia supporter,that helps a lot with the pain, it also keeps my wafers on longer. In November I will have it repaired along with the re-position of my stoma and removal of my rectum due to UC.
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Colostomy 5-14-07 UC
I have a very heavy heart right now! I had a ventrical hernia repair and they used gortex mesh in 2002 and a repair was done in 2005 with marlex mesh but they could not remove all of the gore-tex mesh. Then I had a redo/ redo ventrical hernia repair in 2007 and they used gore-tex dual mesh plus (He felt with the overlapping of the previous 2 types they had still in place and pinned an along with what he added I would have really good coverage) and I am going in for a surgical consult this next week due to the same symptoms (they think that I have a hernia that is unable to surface but is still cause the pain symptoms )that led to the previous surgeries... I was given a heart to heart in 2007 that my stomach wall was getting thin and that my doctor really hoped it would be my last hernia repair and I made sure I really followed every direction to a "T" and this is scary! My husband is active duty military and I always go to my parents house to recovery from these surgies so I knew I would have time to recovery correctly with out pushing it with a small child. I am at a loss. I hear about Kugel defects but I do not know about Gore-tex and I just feel like cry all the time. We transfer a lot and I have had some very good surgeons and do not doubt their skill or feel that they are at fault for the problems I am having. I am upse that maybe the FDA is allow inferior products on the market with out enough clinical trials and we are paying the price with years of our lives and it is deminishing the quality of life we do have. In a country with so much medical technology we should expect and deserve better. I am angry and saddened all at the same time. If anyone knows anything about the Gore-tex or what I should look at doing next please let me know. I have requested the medical surgery records to get the lot # for the gore-tex used in the first 2 surgeries to file with the FDA and I will have it in the next 3 days. I have the 3 surgery report with the lot number and I will be filing it as soon as I get my CT scan this week with confirmation of plan of action.
Post Edited (Herniasgalor) : 6/16/2011 9:49:20 AM (GMT-6)
Bumping this up as I may have a peristomal hernia with end ileostomy that has been giving me food blockages, small bowel obstruction pain, etc. Am being checked by ileoscopy for a stricture. Negative on CT and negative on retrograde contrast enema and negative on digital exam but the obstruciton symptoms remain. AM trying to live on clear liquids NOT EASY.
Just wondered. I have this weird thing happening. When I lie on my left at night nothing passes into the bag unless it is liquid and then only minor amount. Then if I lie on my right liquid will come out. IF i eat real food, I can go for an entire night, have a TOTALLY empty bag in the a.m. then have to slug prune juice in the morning then a whole bag of stool will shoot out all at once. SO FAR anyway. I am totally scared. Am being put on hold a whole month for further eval. Cannot go on this way. Just wondered what your symptoms were regarding sleeping position and ostomy function at night.
And what did you eat while awaiting the repair? Rosemary
Just wondered. I have this weird thing happening. When I lie on my left at night nothing passes into the bag unless it is liquid and then only minor amount. Then if I lie on my right liquid will come out. IF i eat real food, I can go for an entire night, have a TOTALLY empty bag in the a.m. then have to slug prune juice in the morning then a whole bag of stool will shoot out all at once. SO FAR anyway. I am totally scared. Am being put on hold a whole month for further eval. Cannot go on this way. Just wondered what your symptoms were regarding sleeping position and ostomy function at night.
And what did you eat while awaiting the repair? Rosemary
Rosemary,
I have a hernia as confirmed by my ostomy nurse and surgeon. I think mine is causing me some problems in this area as well, although not to the same extent as yours. For me, the solution will be relocation to the right side. I think they may have left hernia alone, but the PG caused paper thin skin around the stoma, and in order to do my revision he will need to repair the hernia and move it all. Maybe a relocation may be an option for you?
Diagnosed with pancolitis in 1998
Tried everything but Remicade over a 14 year period and Imuran was really the only drug that worked before it stopped in 2010
Flared for a year and a half before spiraling out of control
Proctocolectomy with permanent ileostomy 11/29/11
Finally on the road to recovery
I have a hernia as confirmed by my ostomy nurse and surgeon. I think mine is causing me some problems in this area as well, although not to the same extent as yours. For me, the solution will be relocation to the right side. I think they may have left hernia alone, but the PG caused paper thin skin around the stoma, and in order to do my revision he will need to repair the hernia and move it all. Maybe a relocation may be an option for you?
Diagnosed with pancolitis in 1998
Tried everything but Remicade over a 14 year period and Imuran was really the only drug that worked before it stopped in 2010
Flared for a year and a half before spiraling out of control
Proctocolectomy with permanent ileostomy 11/29/11
Finally on the road to recovery
I need to find the exact docs who do these things. I think I may need to leave my area to get the care I need. There was a thread on here about who had who for a doc. I wrote to one in florida to see if she does these repairs and diagnosis. I think I am wasting precious time around here. Rosemary