I had a mesh inserted in a hernia some 16+ years ago. Since then I've been uncomfortable at times and just assumed it was all part and parcel of a mesh hernia repair. Lately things have become more noticeable painful wise in the hernia area. 

Today I went to the local government hospital where I had the operation done. The surgeons there didn't seem too happy doing an examination but they did. They've now given me a referral letter to go to Korat. They didn't exactly say why. I'm assuming it's the 'mesh'. Has anyone had a hernia mesh repair operation done and can it be done? If I have to live with the discomfort then so be it. But just a a side thing. The doctor asked my wife where I'm from. She told him England and he said 'why don't you take him there'? I have no idea as to his meaning.

Mesh can be removed but it takes a lot of skill and experience to do it with minimal disruption to the surrounding tissue. Presumably this is the idea behind the referral but it would help to know what the referral letter says.

 

In Issan area I would recommend KKU hospital (Srinagarind) over Korat hospital.  You actually have no need of a referral letter to go anywhere since as a foreigner you have to pay regardless of where you go.  So not an issue to go to KKU rather than where referred. Try to see Prof. Chalerm Eurboonyanun there.

Deleted post.  Posted in error.

It's an inguinal hernia I suppose?

20 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

In Issan area I would recommend KKU hospital (Srinagarind) over Korat hospital.  You actually have no need of a referral letter to go anywhere since as a foreigner you have to pay regardless of where you go.  So not an issue to go to KKU rather than where referred. Try to see Prof. Chalerm Eurboonyanun there.

 

Maybe he has Thai social security

35 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You actually have no need of a referral letter to go anywhere since as a foreigner you have to pay regardless of where you go. 

I assume the referral letter gives a breakdown of what, who, when and any problems that may of occurred at the time of the original operation. After all it was 16+ years ago.

27 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

It's an inguinal hernia I suppose?

Correct.

I did some research on this and they say post-surgery complications like chronic pain are very common

18 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I assume the referral letter gives a breakdown of what, who, when and any problems that may of occurred at the time of the original operation. After all it was 16+ years ago.

 I doubt your problems have anything to do with details of the surgery beyond that it was a hernia repair with mesh. More likely the referral says something like "had a hernia repair with mesh in (year) and complains of persistant pain, referred for possible mesh removal" but it would be good to check. Can you show it to a Thai speaker?

14 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

I did some research on this and they say post-surgery complications like chronic pain are very common

Not very common. But it happens. About 11% incidence.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17693290/

I know several cases where the mesh caused ongoing pain. The "take him to England" line was absurd. One the main complaints is cold weather pain. Also, these days I wouldn't like to guess how long you'd wait on a repair, north of six months would be a good estimate. I have one friend who had his mesh replaced after two years, in his case it was straightforward. You'd may as well go to the referral then weigh up the options. I'm always apprehensive about general anaesthetics, though I did find recovery from my two hernia operations to be straightforward. I'd be living with it unless it was debilitating, but for gawds sake, take England out of the equation. 

12 hours ago, Sheryl said:

I doubt your problems have anything to do with details of the surgery beyond that it was a hernia repair with mesh. More likely the referral says something like "had a hernia repair with mesh in (year) and complains of persistant pain, referred for possible mesh removal" but it would be good to check. Can you show it to a Thai speaker?

 

17 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I had a mesh inserted in a hernia some 16+ years ago. Since then I've been uncomfortable at times and just assumed it was all part and parcel of a mesh hernia repair. Lately things have become more noticeable painful wise in the hernia area. 

Today I went to the local government hospital where I had the operation done. The surgeons there didn't seem too happy doing an examination but they did. They've now given me a referral letter to go to Korat. They didn't exactly say why. I'm assuming it's the 'mesh'. Has anyone had a hernia mesh repair operation done and can it be done? If I have to live with the discomfort then so be it. But just a a side thing. The doctor asked my wife where I'm from. She told him England and he said 'why don't you take him there'? I have no idea as to his meaning.

You are free to see another doctor in a more recommended hospital.

I doubt you would have to go into NHS's hands.🙏. Discomfortable feeling is not necessary btw

The record says they don't have your original record, and they recommend you go back to the hospital where your original hernia was repaired. It also shows your mesh has failed because they can manually palpate a soft mass, which confirms this.
As another responder posted, mesh repairs can and do fail, although the incidence is low. Maybe you have been doing some heavy lifting. A hernia mesh is often considered a permanent device that can remain in place without replacement. However, if a hernia returns to the same area, the mesh may need to be replaced or a new one placed. It is not that difficult a procedure today. It can be done by either open repair or laparoscopic repair. 
I also had a repair 16 years ago, but it's still okay. However, I just got the other side fixed one week ago at my local government hospital using a laparoscopic technique. Excellent service and great price.
Just get it fixed, mate—no big deal.

24 minutes ago, James26 said:

I just got the other side fixed one week ago at my local government hospital using a laparoscopic technique. Excellent service and great price.

Where did you have it done? Which Dr. did the procedure? How much did it cost?

Thank you.

18 minutes ago, James26 said:

The record says they don't have your original record, and they recommend you go back to the hospital where your original hernia was repaired.

Thanks for your input James26

18 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Today I went to the local government hospital where I had the operation done.

I did go back to the original hospital where I had the operation done. They could not find my records.

18 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

. The doctor asked my wife where I'm from. She told him England and he said 'why don't you take him there'? I have no idea as to his meaning.

 

He meant that he wasn't comfortable doing it, and probably knows as a British person, he thinks you would be entitled to the operation FOC.

 

The doctors here know nothing about NHS bureaucracy and waiting lists.

I have had 4 operations in 2 hospitals by 2 separate surgeons since covid and all have failed using mesh. Yesterday I had some sort of x Ray to dermine why it had failed again. It is an iguenal Henia. The first caused bad vomiting and that's why they operated during covid. I am at my wits end with it. Supposed to see surgeon next week re result of X Ray

Sheryl. They did a procedure on Tuesday were they put an I.V in my left arm then injected something which made me feel very warm. I was on a movable bed and then entered some sort of  scanner. Is this some sort of X Ray? It was expensive 8250 baht

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Mesh can be removed but it takes a lot of skill and experience to do it with minimal disruption to the surrounding tissue. Presumably this is the idea behind the referral but it would help to know what the referral letter says.

 

In Issan area I would recommend KKU hospital (Srinagarind) over Korat hospital.  You actually have no need of a referral letter to go anywhere since as a foreigner you have to pay regardless of where you go.  So not an issue to go to KKU rather than where referred. Try to see Prof. Chalerm Eurboonyanun there.

What is the usual cost of an inguinal hernia operation... government hospital?

1 hour ago, James26 said:

I just got the other side fixed one week ago at my local government hospital using a laparoscopic technique. Excellent service and great price.
Just get it fixed, mate—no big deal.

Would you mind divulging the price... thx

10 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

What is the usual cost of an inguinal hernia operation... government hospital?

Without X Rays around 23000 baht. The most I paid was 29000 with X Rays. Private hospital wanted 200,000

I have had on and off pain for 8 years after my mesh surgery.  It especially acts up after sex or going to the gym. Usually I ice it in the evening and take some ibuprofen on the days it is a problem. My Doctor said they could open me up again and redo it, but not ready for that experience again at this point.

1 hour ago, Asquith Production said:

I have had 4 operations in 2 hospitals by 2 separate surgeons since covid and all have failed using mesh. 

 

38 minutes ago, Asquith Production said:

Without X Rays around 23000 baht. The most I paid was 29000 with X Rays. Private hospital wanted 200,000

Could there be a connection here?

1 hour ago, Asquith Production said:

Sheryl. They did a procedure on Tuesday were they put an I.V in my left arm then injected something which made me feel very warm. I was on a movable bed and then entered some sort of  scanner. Is this some sort of X Ray? It was expensive 8250 baht

Not an Xray,  it was either MRI or CT with contrast media. 

2 hours ago, James26 said:

The record says they don't have your original record, and they recommend you go back to the hospital where your original hernia was repaired. It also shows your mesh has failed because they can manually palpate a soft mass, which confirms this.
As another responder posted, mesh repairs can and do fail, although the incidence is low. Maybe you have been doing some heavy lifting. A hernia mesh is often considered a permanent device that can remain in place without replacement. However, if a hernia returns to the same area, the mesh may need to be replaced or a new one placed. It is not that difficult a procedure today. It can be done by either open repair or laparoscopic repair. 
I also had a repair 16 years ago, but it's still okay. However, I just got the other side fixed one week ago at my local government hospital using a laparoscopic technique. Excellent service and great price.
Just get it fixed, mate—no big deal.

 

2 hours ago, James26 said:

The record says they don't have your original record, and they recommend you go back to the hospital where your original hernia was repaired. It also shows your mesh has failed because they can manually palpate a soft mass, which confirms this.
As another responder posted, mesh repairs can and do fail, although the incidence is low. Maybe you have been doing some heavy lifting. A hernia mesh is often considered a permanent device that can remain in place without replacement. However, if a hernia returns to the same area, the mesh may need to be replaced or a new one placed. It is not that difficult a procedure today. It can be done by either open repair or laparoscopic repair. 
I also had a repair 16 years ago, but it's still okay. However, I just got the other side fixed one week ago at my local government hospital using a laparoscopic technique. Excellent service and great price.
Just get it fixed, mate—no big deal.

Thanks for this.

 

So the problem is that the hernia has recurred. 

 

Continue to recommend OP go to KKU. 

3 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

Without X Rays around 23000 baht. The most I paid was 29000 with X Rays. Private hospital wanted 200,000

I paid about 76k in a large private hospital in CM, inclusive of all pre-op tests and post-op recovery in single room.

5 hours ago, James26 said:

I just got the other side fixed one week ago at my local government hospital using a laparoscopic technique. Excellent service and great price.

 

James!!!  You have no idea HOW useful it would be for many of us to know the hospital name, and perhaps even how much you paid!!! 

 

Please provide it!  Thank You Very Much!

23 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I had a mesh inserted in a hernia some 16+ years ago. Since then I've been uncomfortable at times and just assumed it was all part and parcel of a mesh hernia repair. Lately things have become more noticeable painful wise in the hernia area. 

Today I went to the local government hospital where I had the operation done. The surgeons there didn't seem too happy doing an examination but they did. They've now given me a referral letter to go to Korat. They didn't exactly say why. I'm assuming it's the 'mesh'. Has anyone had a hernia mesh repair operation done and can it be done? If I have to live with the discomfort then so be it. But just a a side thing. The doctor asked my wife where I'm from. She told him England and he said 'why don't you take him there'? I have no idea as to his meaning.

He is being honest from my experience of government hospitals here. If ya

can get back to UK and can still access nhs ( or spend the time back home to 're qualify for nhs) do it . Proper job done by people who care and not looking at you as a cash flow, obviously you've been in los for a long time so should understand this is a 2.5 world country (being polite and not saying 3rd world) esp government hospitals and esp esp how Farang treated in then ( my personal experiences). Or pay stupid money to the private hospitals to do it with most prop the same surgeon who would do it in the dragconion government hospitals. No different in any agency here you pay for promotion. Not on skill and sadly this applies to the medical  profession

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can recommend a surgeon in BKK. Can be verified by board member as well. Message for more. Laparoscopic surgery. He's good. Value hospital. Very pleased with everything. 2023.