Inguinal Hernia Post RARP

...get yourself a good surgeon and pin some lucky shamrock on your gown.
 Post operative incontinence, inguinal hernia, erectile dysfunction are all associated with inexperienced surgeons but you can still draw the short straw, hence the need for the shamrock, etc! :-)

lighterwood67 said:

My surgeon

My surgeon was the Chief of Urology (Surgery and Onocology) at Levine Cancer Institute.  He has 2000+ RARP's.  I still do a good bit of lifting and stuff for my age, maybe that caused it.  My bet is that I should have worn the Shamrock.   Oh well, it is what is, going for my second opinion in about a week or so.  

I also had DaVinci, and also had to have a hernia repair.  However, about two years prior to the RP I had my gallbladder removed, and I noted afterward that the incision points between the two surgeries were virtually identical; they overlapped.  Hence, I feel that two surgeries through the same spot likely weakened the tissue more than one would.

I wonder if waist size is not also very relevant in this.  It would be interesting to know if it was considered.   I needed to lose a few inches then, and now.

max

lighterwood67 said:

Waist Size

My waist size is around 34".  I weigh around 172lbs.  I have been running these numbers for a couple of years. I think it just happens.  It may or may not be related to the RARP.  I live on a lake. Sometimes I cut 4 to 5 acres of grass a week for my father-in-law (he is 91).  This year I have cut down 2 trees (over 30 ft high; cut into logs; and put on the burn pile).  I can lift 35 to 50 lb bags of seed; fertilizer; etc with no leakage, but maybe I strained a little too hard.  If it was due to strain, I would think it came from changing the tire on the camper, that was tough 100 ft lbs of torque.  I have always had a little pain (not constant) after surgery on the lower left side.  I told the surgeon about that; they checked me and just logged it to part of the healing process.  I noticed the hernia while I was in the shower (left side groin area not symmetrical with right).  They told me due to the pelvic surgery (pelvic lymph node dissection, the hernia repair would be open surgery, outpatient 45 minutes to an hour or so).  To me it is what is, my PSA is still undetectable;  I am fully continent (partner yoga is challenging to do with no leakage);  still running around 75% on the ED issue (no add-ons).  As far as Quality of Life, I have not slowed down.  So far I see these issues as just bumps in the road.  I am fine.  I will get this fixed and see what else life has to throw at me.  Thanks for the comments.  It makes me feel like I am part of the team.

My herniation occured above the navel, where the incision to pull out the gland is.  I have never had herniation symptoms down in the genitial area.   Interesting fact:  the gall bladder, when removed with lapro surgery, is pulled out through the navel itself; this reduces visible scarring later.  So my two main incision points were within an inch of each other.  The worst part about surgery is the stretching, not the cutting, so I do believe my hernia was in part due to the gall bladder proceedure.

My hernia repair was laparoscopic also, and believe it or not, it too used the exact same access points, so I now have five incision points that have been cut through three times.  The surgeon said the mesh was about 6x6, or near the size of a wash cloth.

Like you, I focus on the big picture, and the cure of cancer was the most important outcome.  I do not blame anyone or any thing for my conditions.  And I too am constantly outside working in the yard or whatever, doing stuff I most likely shouldn't.  Working on the lawn, and thankful to be above ground.

max