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Wake Up to the Dangers of Sleep Apnea - October 2018 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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1. I saw a report on mesh — now I'll never get a hernia mesh repair! Patients usually overreact after reading unbalanced reports about her- nia repairs and complications attributed to mesh. Case in point: 'Hernia mesh complications affect more than 100,000.' Last month's BBC report (osmag.net/eZ9EeF) pointed to a 12% to 30% complication rate. That is much higher than high-level data support. The report lumped all hernias together, but we know that the risks associated with the repair of abdominal wall hernias differ from the risks of pelvic and inguinal hernias. The report's discussion of complications and chronic pain is incorrect or, at best, misleading. This causes anxi- ety for patients. In the same report, a well-known and highly respected specialist, reported performing "3,000 mesh removals because of chronic pain — after which only 2 of the patients had not gone on to become 'pain- free.'" That's quite an amazing outcome, but it hasn't been substantiat- ed. Buried under the mistakes and misleading discussion, the report made a valid point: Hernia surgery, as with any surgery, has risks and complications; the use of mesh adds to the risk of mesh-related com- plications. 2. Should I expect complications from my hernia mesh surgery? Absolutely not. Surgeons do not offer an elective operation to their patients if complications are an expected outcome. When patients come to me, I make sure to assure them that the vast majority of her- nia repairs will have excellent outcomes without complications. Complications, if they occur, are not always related to the mesh. And O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5 9

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