Anyone Experienced Two Parastomal Hernia Surgeries?

I had an ileostomy. Prolapsed, not too bad, parastomal hernia, kind of bad, I had surgery to repair both and moved to the other side of the abdomen, and now I have a colostomy. I now have a mild parastomal hernia. Another surgery if it gets worse? Has anyone ever had 2? I had major complications at the first surgery. Blood transfusion, kidney issues. Took 2 months to recover. I'm really curious if anyone has done it twice... hmmmmmm

Jalrein,

Pending second reparative surgery following traumatic explant of TIES implant device - yes - complicated history - better to have the best elective treatment rather than risk awaiting rupture/damage and emergency unplanned surgery by an unknown surgeon: A catch 22 really - risky to do - bad odds if left an unplanned catastrophe waiting to happen: Once one has looped bowel outside of the abdominal wall one is into reducing odds - especially if age is not on one's side.

IMHO it's down to personal circumstance and the related experience, and specialist expertise AND vocation of one's surgeon coupled with one's own intuitive knowledge of one's own body.

BW - and good luck

Jayne

Thank you. You gave me a lot to research. Right now my hernia is mild. That's why I was wondering if it's ever been done a second time successfully.

As may become apparent once you get into the depth of research - it's a question of finding the 'right' surgeon who is willing to take one on - but for the appropriate reasons - and who does not pull any punches - What in my own, very humble opinion is most telling, is for the PATIENT to be in the right frame of mind too when the scene is finally set and the run-up is managed well - for our surgeons [no matter how focused or dedicated they are] - need us to be in the right place and a viable part of the team - mentally, spiritually, and medically prepared.

Good luck - you will know when and if the time is right ..... so long as you take the time needed to know thyself and hold trust too - for without the final placing of your trust whilst you are in anesthesia - there can only be the outcome of consequence.

Best

Jayne

Yes, the first repair may be listed as a year. The second one was done by a surgeon who had performed a couple of repairs. It has stayed flat for approximately 20 years.

My hernia was grapefruit-sized, painful, and my bags were not sticking to the area well... many bag failures.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hi Jalrein

From my recollection, I have had this happen about 5 times, and my surgeon had to repair them and place my new stoma somewhere else.
I have had my ileostomy for 28 years now. In the beginning, I spent more time in the hospital than at home. It was all very traumatic; I have had over 50 operations in total over the last 32 years, 33 of them open bowel surgeries. But, as my doctors like to tell me, I have a very complicated and very long history.
I had my entire large bowel removed due to toxic megacolon, and the 5 herniated stomas, plus an intussusception (this is often described as a "telescoping" effect, where one section of the intestine folds into itself like the sections of a telescope) has left me with 3.5 meters of small bowel.

But on the bright side, the stoma I have now has been here for 17 years! Fortunately, I had a very good surgeon. My only problem, apart from not being able to eat solid food, is that I have lost all of my IV access - which means that I will not survive another large operation.

Take care,
Gracie

Thank you, Gracie. You sound like a modern medical miracle.

Try wearing a support belt all the time. I have a mild parastomal hernia. It developed 4 months post-op. I have a sigmoid colostomy. I'm now at 2 years post-op; the hernia remains mild. I credit the belt for this. I only remove the belt to shower or change the wafer. You get used to it.

Because of the high recurrence rates, hernias that are not symptomatic are best managed conservatively; that is, leave it alone. Such management consists of observation, the use of a hernia support belt designed to fit around the pouch and provide support to the abdominal wall. Nu-Hope provides great hernia support belts.

Because of the complications from your previous hernia repair, there is no reason to believe a second surgery would be any less complicated. Many surgeons recommend, if it's not affecting your stoma, to leave it alone — each surgery further weakens the abdominal wall, making another hernia more likely.

By virtue of their rigidity, some convex products pose the potential for pressure-related skin or stomal damage for an ostomate with a parastomal hernia. They should, therefore, be used with caution. Ostomates may be better served with flexible, low-profile, or newer flangeless pouching systems worn under the hernia support belt. The Coloplast SenSura Mio Convex Flip is a good appliance if you have a parastomal hernia. It has a curved star-shaped baseplate that fits over bulges, hernias, and curves. Convex in the name is misleading if viewed in isolation — it is "convex flip"; imagine flipping a convex, tapeless flange inside out. I have provided a picture of the Coloplast barrier/wafer/flange attached to a bulge.

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Yes - good advice.

100% correct. If the hernia is not causing trouble with stoma function or wafer/bag use, leave it alone.

Surgery that moves the stoma from one side of the abdomen to the other only transfers the hernia problem and weakens the abdominal wall.

I only use Nu-Hope Corporation belts for my mild parastomal hernia. I tried a few others I bought on Amazon. They were too uncomfortable to wear for a long time. Nu-Hope has many belt types, and each one can be customized.

I use their Nu-Comfort support belt.

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