A
hernia repair will
always cause
patients some level
of discomfort.
However, there's a
big difference between an annoy-
ing ache and acute pain — or
worse, chronic pain — that relent-
less agony patients suffer through
for at least 90 days post-op.
Unfortunately, far too many
hernia patients walk away with
the latter when it could've been
prevented. To ensure your
patients don't fall into that catego-
ry, follow these proven strategies.
1. Set expectations
Whether patients are undergoing a
common and relatively straightfor-
ward inguinal hernia surgery or a
more complex ventral hernia pro-
cedure, they're virtually guaran-
teed to experience some type of
pain or, at a bare minimum, signifi-
cant discomfort following their
procedure. During the pre-op visit,
patients need to know about what
they're likely to experience follow-
ing their surgery and what they
can do about it — as clearly and in
as much detail as possible.
"That's the responsibility of the
surgeon," says Jeffrey B. Mazin, MD, FACS, a board-
certified general surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital
San Diego. "For instance, 14% to 34% of patients will
experience chronic pain syndrome following their
surgery. They need to know that it can happen."
2. Consider underlying issues
The pre-op visit is also critical because it allows sur-
geons to assess patients as thoroughly as possible
for underlying issues that might increase the likeli-
hood of a painful recovery. The biggest issue? The
amount of pain the patient is in just prior to the sur-
gical intervention. "Studies have shown patients
who have pain issues prior to inguinal hernia repair
will have pain issues postoperatively," says Guy
Voeller, MD, FACS, a general surgeon and professor
5 8 • O U T P A T I
E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0
Jared Bilski | Managing Editor
Preventing Post-Op Hernia Pain Is Paramount
Patient expectations and surgeon technique
go hand in hand in achieving successful outcomes.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL Hernia repairs are meticulous procedures that require surgeons to carefully place mesh around
several sensory nerves.
Shirin
Towfigh,
MD,
FACS