The recovery time after complete mesh removal surgery is usually around four to six weeks. Mesh that has gone into the urethra (extrusion or perforation) is a serious complication. The mesh is usually removed by an operation through the vagina.
It can take up to four to six weeks to recover from hernia mesh removal surgery.
After the surgeon removes the mesh, you'll likely have gauze placed in your vagina to help prevent bleeding. You may go home that day or stay overnight. Afterward, you can take medication for pain, and vaginal estrogen can help with healing. You may notice some spotting or light bleeding after your operation.
Transvaginal mesh removal at a glance
Frequently reported complications from transvaginal mesh include chronic pain, infection, bleeding, pain during intercourse, urinary problems, and exposure of the mesh through the vagina.
But you will need at least 6 weeks to fully recover before returning to all normal activities.
Many women suffer a mesh removal nightmare when things have gone wrong and they're unable to access proper help and support to aid their recovery or manage their symptoms. In some cases, mesh removal surgery simply won't work as the devices are intended to be permanent.
To end all the confusion: meshes/grafts are used for repair of prolapse and a sling/tape is used for stress urinary incontinence.
The rate of midurethral mesh sling removal was 1.4% (95% CI, 1.3%-1.4%) at 1 year, 2.7% (95% CI, 2.6%-2.8%) at 5 years, and 3.3% (95% CI, 3.2%-3.4%) at 9 years. Risk of removal declined with age.
However, erosion may sometimes be treated with vaginal cream or by removing part of the exposed mesh in a doctor's office. In other cases, the mesh must be surgically removed.
Symptoms of mesh erosion into the bladder/urethra include painful voiding, urinary frequency, urgency, hematuria, recurrent urinary tract infection, urinary calculi and urinary fistula.
It feels horrible. The infection may be localized to your mouth or hernia mesh, but once the infection sets in it will affect your entire system. This is when your body steps in and tries to fight the infection, resulting in your flu-like symptoms. Expect to experience chills, fever, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
Surgical treatments (other than mesh)
native tissue repair – where the patient's own tissue is used to repair the prolapse. biological graft repair – uses a graft from a source, such as human or animal tissue, to support the vaginal prolapse. pubovaginal sling – using the patients own tissue.
Infection - Hernia mesh infections happen when bacteria builds up on the implant causing flu-like symptoms, fatigue, fever, swelling and tenderness around the surgery site. Bowel Obstruction - Scar tissue from the implant may block the bowel and lead to constipation, vomiting, bloating and nausea.
About Recovery from Mesh Removal Surgery
As with any surgical procedure, it's important for you to take time to rest and give your body time to heal. We'll send you and your caretaker home with post-surgical expectations, but expect recovery to take about 4 to 6 weeks.
A hernia can bring your daily activities to a standstill. The discomfort and pain that they bring can make surgical repair a necessity. If you've experienced extreme discomfort from your hernia mesh, it may be time to remove it, and we can help.
The mesh needs to remain in place until tissue integration is complete. Complete integration usually happens around 2-3 weeks after surgery [10]. In addition to tissue integration, chronic pain after the surgery is also important to consider and a larger problem compared to hernia reoccurrence [11].
Surgical meshes have variable visibility at CT, which is attributed to the density, structure, and thickness of the mesh material. Polypropylene and plaited polyester mesh is either invisible or poorly seen at CT.
We expect the sling to last for 10 to 20 years with a slow degradation in efficacy over time. We don't have exact data because of the difficulty of following women over decades. Insurance usually covers this surgery because it is a medical problem, not cosmetic.
A recurrent hernia developed in two patients requiring an open mesh repair in one. Conclusions: Laparoscopic mesh removal is a feasible, safe, and effective option in selected patients with chronic groin pain after endoscopic hernia repair in the hands of an experienced surgeon.
The body also rejects hernia mesh because it sees the implant as a foreign object invading the body and attacks the device. The hernia mesh can fail over time if the body continues to reject an implant. If this happens, you may experience serious complications that require immediate medical treatment.
Transvaginal mesh is designed to be a permanent treatment for pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence.
Retropubic (TVT) mesh slings can usually be removed completely with a combined vaginal and abdominal operation. The part of the mesh sling that goes behind the pubic bone can be removed later even if the vaginal part of the mesh has already been removed.