Kidney
Incisional hernia
Has anyone had an incisional hernia post-kidney transplant? Especially during the first 6 months? If so, did you have surgery - and how long after transplant did that occur? If not - did you decide to just live with it? I have this HUGE abdominal pouch ( lax muscle walls) that seems to be getting larger. My surgeon suggested that I probably would just have to live with it; the head of my Transplant Team suggested a second opinion from a hernia specialist would be wise. Which I will do after the CAT scan. Advice? Experiences?
TransplantLyfe Favorite
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First set of dates is when each hernia became visible/“appeared”, second set of dates is when hernia repair procedure took place/“repaired”. In my case, surgeon preferred wait I wait at least 6 months after nephrectomy to do repair procedure.
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Transplant Patient
I have one. Developed it within the first 6 months. I would say it’s pretty big but I also don’t have anything to compare it to. I decided just to live with it. If it causes issues down the road, I’ll deal with it. Comfort wise I found either wrapping my stomach or wearing tight leggings that cover the hernia help.
Transplant Patient
Good luck to you @Pablo . 🍀
As @AliEm14 shared - I've heard many folks do indeed decide to 'live with it'.
I had 2 incisional hernias repaired following kidney donation. Different locations appeared/repaired post nephrectomy at 3 & 11 months/6 & 15 months. Outpatient surgery, recovered without issues/further complications.
Not sure why you have 4 dates for 2 surgeries....how long after transplant were the first & second surgeries...
Transplant Patient
I saw my physiotherapist this morning, and we were talking about my hernia. He suggested wrapping it, or a hernia belt, as an alternative to surgery. This is something I'm going to look more into (and kind of do in a sense, I feel like, because I tend to try and keep some sort of compression on my hernia when it feels 'bad') but thought I'd share if anybody else needs ideas to try, or has tried this
I do have one of those belts, which I have not yet tried. Mebbe I will...meanwhile I am getting a second opinion from a hernia specialist ( after a CAT scan to get more info).
Hello, transplant 6-14-22
i developed a hernia with in a week, large protrusion softball size. They said it was something I did ??? I don’t recall doing anything stupid…not sure it was anything I did as it was so soon after transplant. surgery 4weeks later, currently wearing a binder for 2 more weeks… I wanted this fixed.
Transplant Patient
@JMan something you did like breathing? 😂 I just saw a hernia specialist and the something you did can range from extreme weight lifting to sneezing wrong. I hate it when doctors use that phrasing, because a lot of us don’t do anything to cause a hernia.
I am also dealing with an incisional hernia/ weakened abdominal wall - about the size of a football. I have NOT been told it is due to anything I did - it just happens after some surgeries. My transplant team had no solution other than to live with it. A physical therapist said extremely gentle physical therapy MIGHT help over a year or so, and might not. BUt I would have to be extremely careful not to tear anything. My Team referred me to a plastic surgeon - and talking with several, I will have robotic surgery in October - which hopefully will REDUCE the bulge but not completely. It will also leave my abdomen asymetric. But it is better than walking around with this inner tube around my abdomen - I cannot wear normal pants without suspenders....I am just 6 months post-surgery and this has been apparent for quite awhile. ( The binder was useless).
Transplant Patient
@Pablo are they talking reconstructive surgery for you? The surgeon I just met with is referring me to a complex hernia and abdominal reconstruction team. My abdominal wall is gone, they’ll have to build me a new one out of synthetic materials. I wasn’t told hernias were a huge thing post op so it never even crossed my mind I’d get one let alone need an entirely reconstructed abdominal wall.
I wear the binder so I can be a functional human, but other than make it so I can stand up and move around it does nothing in terms of actually decreasing the hernia.
So far - they are just talking about putting in a mesh to block the intestines from entering the "soft spot". My abdominal wall is not gone - just stretched and they are planning to leave it alone. That is why they have told me it is only a partial solution. Six months out ( 9 at the time of proposed surgery), they want to do as little surgery as possible. They have also said that during the surgery - if the robotic method is insufficient, they may have to do more of a tradition dice-and-slice to put in the mesh. I have also been told that incisional hernia are quite uncommon after transplant surgery. Could be connected to the fact that I was 75 at the time of transplant.
Transplant Patient
that makes sense. from what I understood its looking like they'll have to rebuild a large portion of my abdominal wall using mesh (and other things? I'm not sure yet)
If it makes you feel better I was 23 when I had my transplant and still ended up with hernia issues. maybe its a luck of the draw type thing?