My Boyfriend has 3 hernias, (in the umbilical region)?

Question

He will be having surgery in a few weeks, how long will the recovery take (ish) to anyone who has shared this misfortune?

Answer 1

It depends on the size of the hernias.

When the hernias are small and the patient is thin there usually isn't any need for using mesh. This will reduce the amount of dissection and ultimately the amount of post-op pain.

When the hernias are larger, using a mesh will help prevent a recurrence. However, there are more nerve endings that have been handled and the patient will have more pain.

Most important :

Healing has three phases.

1) Primary - 7 to 10+/- days. This is the time when a person shouldn't do anything that may cause the repairs to be pulled apart.

2) Secondary - 30+/- days. The tissues have gained most of they're strength.

3) Final - 90+/- days. After this amount of time the residual swelling has gone and the tissues are, for the most part, in the condition that they will stay in unless they are reinjured.