Maarten Vasbinder lives in Isaan. His profession is general practitioner, a profession that he mainly practiced in Spain. On Thailandblog he answers questions from readers who live in Thailand and writes about medical facts.
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Dear Martin,
Last March I had Aneurysm (AAA) surgery everything went well. I am 68 years old, 175 cm tall, blood pressure 130/75 no longer smoke, drink a glass of whiskey every now and then. After surgery, use aspirin 81 mg.
Quitting smoking made me a little overweight. From 75 kilos to almost 90 and herniated disc wound in some places due to being overweight. Not a pretty face. I'm already busy losing 6 kilos after 2 months, walk 4 to 5 kilometers every day.
My question is, the doctor said the whole wound has to be reopened if I want it repaired and is it wise to have it done? Do suffer from it. Already use a band but that is not very comfortable and it bothers me after some time. Don't be afraid to go under the knife again.
Regards,
W.
*****
Dear W,
That doctor is right.
Don't worry too much though. The aim is to close the wound again. This is normally not a major operation. Try to lose weight. Such a hernia can arise again. Also avoid tension on the abdominal wall.
You may want to use a mat. Those mats (mesh) usually do not cause any problems at that location. In addition, they are fairly easy to remove. There are also organic mats, usually made from pig material. They will resolve over time. A synthetic mat always stays put.
If possible without a mat, that is preferable. Much depends on the skill of the surgeon.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Maarten