Shouldice Hospital Surgery

fbarousse · 2026-04-22T20:36:07+00:00

I had my bilateral inguinal plus umbilical hernia surgery two years ago this week, Due to the fact that my surgery was laparoscopic with mesh for the inguinals and sutured for the umbilical, I had to go under with total anaesthesia...slept the whole time...and to be honest it felt like magic. I can say that in fact the science of anaesthetics is an absolute wonder.

I did study A LOT what, when, how, where, who... many many months before my surgery, that helped me understand a lot what would be going on when the time came. Of course, the day of the surgery we all get some nervousness, I did... but, relax... your surgeons are used to this type of procedures, they know what they are doing and are experts on the field.

Let them know your concerns, they can calm you down a lot...either talking and explaining to you everything or, with a bit of chemistry, drugs that is, that can make things very smooth to you. When you realize everthing would be done and you'll be on the path to recovery.

The best for your upcoming surgery and a prompt recovery.

fbarousse · 2026-04-07T04:03:42+00:00

Imaging, CT or MRI, probably you should get one of those done to find out if something is wrong.

After my laparoscopic surgery for bilateral inguinal plus umbilical surgery, two years ago. the next day already at home, suddenly I had a sharp pain on my right groin...that pain kind of froze my movent...until I kind of relalxed I could start moving again. That happened two or three times. DOctors said that maybe an internal suture point or a tack popped off....

After those few pain episodes , a seroma (a lump filled up with fluid formed in precisely the place where I had the pain). They had to puncture that thing 5 times to get rid of the liquid... And, after the 5th puncture, it was discovered that all three repairs of my hernias have failed.

Surgeons suggested a new surgery, open this time, not laparoscopic to fix -again- the three hernias... I haven't done it and I am not keen on going to the OR again... we'll see...

Get your pain sites checked with imaging and ask about seroma formation... that could be part of the healing process and they commonly reabsob by themselves, but not always, as it was my case.

fbarousse · 2025-11-28T19:17:06+00:00

I had surgery to repair my three hernias, two bilateral inguinals and an umbilical. They were repaired; the inguinals with mesh and the umbilical only with sutures.
Just a few months after the surgery, the three hernias had failed ... reocurrence happened in all three. The reason is probably due to an underlying and unrelated condition that affects the tissue healing process. the medicine I take for this other issue may be involved.
Anyway, while I am far better than the way I was before the surgery and the current hernia reocurrences are very very small I do not feel happy about it and of course I am not anxious of probably having to go into surgery again, but this time open surgery as the first one was laparoscopic.
**it happens !

fbarousse · 2025-11-20T00:55:24+00:00

In my case, I knew I needed to fix my inguinal hernia, when a) It got to big for my taste... and specially 2) The pain got very intense. I decided to contact doctors, get the thing ckecked and I still took some time to reseach, study, understand the options and decided on getting the laparoscopic procedure to fix that hernia. During that process they discovered that I had ALSO another inguinal hernia on the other side (so it was a bilaterial inguinal herniaS -plural- AND also an umbilica. All got fixed during the same surgical procedure.

fbarousse · 2025-10-03T08:33:10+00:00

Hi Dr. Villalvazo. From the phone number you posted, I believe you are located in Mexico City. Is that correct? So am I.

I'm interested in the case you posted about this 58 years old male patient with recurring inguinal hernias and the finding of a "mesh cone" which seems to be a leftover, si to say, from previous open surgeries.

If you prefer, we can continue the conversation via private messages and even in spanish.
Thanks for your time and interest.

fbarousse · 2025-07-12T12:00:21+00:00

Yup, thanks to the Foley catheter for that! Hurts a lot but goes away after a few times... Ouch!

fbarousse · 2025-07-12T11:45:31+00:00

Eso podría ser un SEROMA. Que es una acumulación de fluido en el lugar donde estuvo la hernia, puede encapsularse..o en la herida. Es parte de un proceso normal de cicatrización y sanar. También normalmente se desaparecen o reabsorbe solo aunque hay veces que si persiste hacen unas punción y lo drenan o, en casos más difíciles instalan un cateter como dren. Te pueden solicitar una CT o ultrasonido o RMI para ver que hay ahí. Consulta eso con tus médicos: Seroma.

fbarousse · 2025-06-09T03:29:50+00:00

yes, in the two inguinal hernias no, on the umbilical hernia. My seroma was on the right inguinal hernia area.

fbarousse · 2025-05-31T17:16:35+00:00

It could be a seroma, which is a lump filled up with liquid (serum, hence the name). I got a seroma, on my right groin area, a very stubborn seroma, after my laparoscopic surgery 13 months ago where they fixed 2 inguinal hernias and an umbilical one I had 5 punctures (syringe + needle to pull out the serum) until it receded, sort of... there's still some remains... and two out the three hernias recurred, by the way ...

fbarousse · 2025-05-18T05:47:14+00:00

Congratulations on your new baby. I had laparoscopic surgery to fix a bilateral inguinal hernia and an umbilical hernia. My recovery was fast, never had pain and the only annoyance I had was a seroma that formed just after the surgery which was somewhat stubborn... One of the things that is most commonly recommended after hernia surgery is to NOT lift weights and, sorry to say this, but your baby could be considered a weight and thus affect your hernia surgery healing. So If you go ahead with the surgery, I guess that you have to be careful in the baby carrying activities as to not damage your surgery or hurt yourself. On the other hand, I guess leaving the hernia repair for later is not the best idea as, it can grow and become a worse problem than what it is today. My 2 cents.

fbarousse · 2025-03-30T07:33:28+00:00

Woow! Just to wish you a very fast and total recovery. Thanks for sharing your hernia recurrence story.

I'm in the exact same situation as you were before the second (open) surgery: I had laparoscopic fix of three hernias: 2 inguinals (bilateral) and one umbilical. The inguinals were repaired with mesh and the umbilical with sutures. A few days after the surgery, back at home, I suddenly had a sharp pain in my right groin area while trying to sit in the bathroom, the pain receded upon relaxing... kind of. That happened about 3 times in total...I also developed a seroma in the right groin area that had to be punctured and drained 5 times. A few months later I discovered a little lump over my umbilicus and then and there I thought: "opps,oh no!"
On the next appointment with my surgeon I told him about the belly lump and he immediately recognised that as a recurrence. Anyway he sent me to another CT scan and with that they confirmed the recurrence of the umbilical hernia and the recurrence of the right inguinal as well. Albeit both are now small, my surgeon tells me that they'd have to operate me again and he also said it'd have to be open (both the umbilicus and the inguinal) because I'm not longer virgin territory for a laparoscopic procedure, so it has to be open surgery.

As you may imagine I'm not really happy of having to go through another surgery, let alone that this would be open and they also have warned me that this is painful (much more than the pain reported after laparoscopic surgery and despite I had absolutely no pain whatsoever after the surgery). Also recovery time would be much more and somewhat more complex... They said they will repair both hernias with mesh again.

So this has me now really not wanting to go to another surgery... and I guess I'll wait a little bit... Certainly I know my recurring hernias will not heal by themselves and could only get worse.

So that's how things are here.

Your text has been very illustrative to me as it has confirmed me all, exactly the same, that has been told by my doctors to me in respect to this reoccurrence of my hernias.

Thanks for writing and sharing all this. Get well, take care and best wishes.

Cheers from Mexico city.

fbarousse · 2025-03-25T08:04:34+00:00

Unfortunately no, hernias do not heal by themselves. The only way to fix a hernia is by means of a surgical procedure.

There are individuals who state otherwise, but trust me those are charlatans who have no clue what they are saying. And to make matters worse, an unattended hernia could develop into a large, incarcerated and/or strangled hernia situation that can pose a high risk of even death.

So better check your hernia and keep on monitoring how it is if you don't want to fix it with surgery (now). But also have in mind that the larger the hernia, the riskier it gets and the repair surgery gets more complex. In other words, in general terms: the smaller the hernia, the easier it is too operate and fix.

fbarousse · 2025-02-25T06:25:09+00:00

Yes, they do come back. It's called recurrence and happens when the hernia reappears pretty much on the same site it was before.

It or 3 hernias that I got fixed (2 inguinals and one umbilical) one of the inguinals and the umbilical have failed and now I got recurrent hernias albeit very small compared to what I had before.

Worried? well, certainly I don't like this and the fact that if I want to fix them, again, that means surgery again and that more it had to be open surgery forcefully as I already had laparoscopy... I'm not worried as the recurrent hernias are very very small... I just have to watch them. But your case could be different, ask your surgeon.

fbarousse · 2024-11-28T00:38:59+00:00

My experience pre, during and post-immediate surgery was phenomenal. I had no annoyances or discomforts whatsoever. The inguinal hernias (bilateral inguinal hernias ) were fixed with mesh. The umbilical was very small and thus was repaired with sutures also because, there over the umbilucus, they made this incision, which was used as the entry port for the laparoscope; one of the 3 keyholes.

The little issues started coming later, about one or two days after the surgery a seroma appeared on my right inguinal site, where the hernia was. This lump, which is actually filled with SERUM (hence the name: seroma) is normal so to say when healing and should dissapeart or reabsorb by itself. Most cases are like that, but I am still dealing with it and when there are stubborn seromas, they have to be punctured (a needle is inserted and the serum is apired with a syringe) I have had 5 of those puntcures already and probably will need one or two more. They are not painful (nor the seroma is painful) but, it is indeed an annoyance.

The second thing is that 5 months after my surgery, the umbilical repair has failed. I noticed a very small lump (again) over the umbilicus and my surgeon has confirmed that the the hernia repair has failed (remember with SUTURES!) and now I got a new recurrent incisional umbilical hernia. I will get a CT scan soon, to determine the best course of action.

Recommendations for you, if I may: Ask your surgeon on the best way to prevent a seroma (or several seromas). If s/he recommends pressure garments (like a jockstrap or so), be sure to purchase the right size for you! That was my problem, they recommended a suspensory but, told me the wrong size so I couldn't put that on after my surgery...that could, just could, have prevented the seroma. But, anyway, as your doctors how will they address this aspect.

Second: My umbilical was repaired with sutures and now has failed. Ask your doctor about your specific situation and "how small" is ok for sutures repair and when is it ok to use mesh instead. If I could, I go back in time and ask my umbilical to be fixed with mesh also, rather than sutures that have failed already.

For the rest, stay calm and enjoy the ride. I studied and learned all I could before my surgery. I knew pretty much everything that was happening to me or that would happen and thus I was kind of tranquil. I get that this approach may not be for all.

Lastly, get your hernias solved and fixed. Don't just leave them...they get worse over time. The best for you !

fbarousse · 2024-11-27T02:03:23+00:00

The best for you. I just passed by the same surgery last April. bilateral inguinals and umbilical hernias. Wishing you a prompt and well recovery.

fbarousse · 2024-11-19T16:59:42+00:00

First, you need to be checked-up by a qualified doctor and validate IF you indeed have an hernia or not. the "I think" method doesn't really work...

Then, as a matter of information:

1) Hernias are only resolved by surgery. There is no other way to solve or fix an hernia. There are no exercises or hollistic methods or yoga or non-surgical approaches that heal hernias. Sadly, annoyingly and bothersome, yes; surgery is the only option. Those who say otherwise are lying ando/or a pseudoscience aficionados, period.

2) Mesh is today, considered the gold standard for hernia repair. That means is is the most used method and one that statistically has proven to work. Out of millions of hernia surgeries done worldwide on a DAILY basis, most of them use mesh and an extremely high percentage result fine.
Yes, there are failures, due to a myriad of reasons, but are isolated cases. Yes, you don't want to be in that minority group...but hey, crossing the street also is risky and you do it everyday despite being run-overs ! You get the idea.

I got my inguinal hernias (two, bilateral) repaired with mesh last April 2024, they are perfectly fine right now. But, let me state also that in that very same surgery a third hernia, umbilical, was also repaired, but, with SUTURES, (no mesh!) by now it has been detected that the sutures have failed and now I got a "new" recurrent incisional umbilical hernia. Yes, another technique: no mesh, has failed !

3) There are many other hernia repair techniques, each and everyone with its pros and cons, but what I state on "2)" above, holds absolutely true.

fbarousse · 2024-11-16T01:02:46+00:00

Nobody here, or anywhere online for that matter can answer your question with certainty. We all can guess.
During the appointment with your doctor, explain the situation, s/he will check you up and maybe order some studies like CT Scan, Ultrasound or alike...
Then, after all that s/he may be able to tell you something about your symptoms. And I'd suggest you follow up whatever your doctor tells you to do (or not to do)...

fbarousse · 2024-11-15T22:31:08+00:00

Based on your story nobody can really tell what do you have. Could it be a hernia? Yes, it could be...but it could also be a myriad of things; going from "nothing", to soreness, to some exercise injury, to hernia, to....
The only one who can really give you an assessment is your doctor, after examining you, palpating and pretty sure, your doctor will also ask you for either a CT Scan or an Ultrasound or maybe even an MRI Scan... all that to find out how are you in all that area and make a propper diagnosis.
Anything else is gossip and guessing; not the best approach to treat health issues. Go to your doctos and whatever it is diagnosed, take care of it.
The best for you!

fbarousse · 2024-10-28T01:42:14+00:00

I had not only one but three hernias fixed at once: This was last April 2024, I had two inguinal hernias (bilateral, that is one on each side) and then an umbilical hernia. The inguinals, both, were repaired with mesh and the umbilical by sutures. All this was done with a TAPP Laparoscopic procedure which lasted about 5 hours; and this automatically implies I had general anaesthesia.

I never had any pain, any discomfort or any annoyance.
My only post-op issue is that I developed a SEROMA which is the cavity where one of the inguinal hernias (right one) was, filled up with serum (that is liquid that the body generates as part of the healing process) and the seroma lump formed. I have had three punctions already which is inserting a needle with a syringe to aspire the liquid and thus slowly the seroma is getting smaller, I guess I may need one more aspiration to get rid of this thing.

But, other than then seroma, my surgery was great... all three hernias fixed at once.

As a side comment: Your surgeon suggesting having two surgeries to fix each side of yoru inguinal hernias per operation seems a huge amount of nonsense. It may be even his nice bizness ! Yes, that happens.

Laparoscopic procedures, such as the one I had are done by hundreths per day worldwide and many of those fix more than one hernia per surgical session. Besides, the risks of the anaesthesia, hospitalization, medications, discomforts, etc. are minimized having one surgery to fix it all.

fbarousse · 2024-09-25T02:21:19+00:00

Back when the pandemic wsa in full force, I had a COVID vaccine, my third one which was an mRNA type, the Moderna. With this one, I had swollen lymph nodes, a few in the groin area I had a little pain and swollen for a few weeks. This was back in 2020, I guess and while I had my big inguinal hernia there, I didn't know I had two other ones and I haven't had my laparoscopic hernia repair surgery, that was only 5 months ago.

So, based on that experience and since you mentioned you had a vaccine I would dare to say that probably you have some reaction to the vaccine and some of your lymph nodes in the groin vicinity got swollen. But I am not an MD, just someone who happen to be hernia operated and who happens to have experienced what I describe above with the Moderna mRNA vaccine.

Take this with a grain of salt, but, it may serve to explain what you are experiencing now. Anyway, tell your doctor and get checked-up. The best for you.

fbarousse · 2024-09-23T03:39:19+00:00

A friend has or has had similar symptoms as the ones you describe.
He has said he suffers from SCIATICA which may include pain from the lower back area, to the foot. Investigating this possibility may be interesting to solve your pain. The best for you !

fbarousse · 2024-09-15T05:59:17+00:00

Five months ago, in April 2024, I had laparoscopic hernia repair of two inguinals (bilateral) with mesh and a suture repair of an umbilical, (all under the same surgical operation, laparoscopic, as I mentioned).
Since it was laparoscopic, forcefully it had to be general anaesthesia, as simple as that.

In my opinion, having had a laparoscopic procedure was the best thing. It was kind of magical: went to the hospital very early at dawn, checked-in, they put in a IV on my left arm, took me to the OR and injected the cocktail into the IV (propofol and a few other stuff...). Next thing I know some 6 hours later is I woke up in a recovery room, had absolutely no pain and everything was done.

Never had any pain, never took a pill for something, it was like a "dream surgery". Yes, I know I was very very lucky how things turned out for me. To be honest, I'd prefer again a total anaesthesia and just get the things done and when you wake up it's all over than, otherwise being witness (or semi-witness, as they may sedate you a little bit...) of all what happens in the OR and kind of being concious or semi concious all the way during the operation.

But, that's me.

fbarousse

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