Question:
What causes hernias after surgery?

What is it that actually causes a hernia after surgery. I am not clear on what I can do to prevent. I am not 16 days post RNY surgery.    — Debra M. (posted on October 10, 2003)

October 10, 2003
For people who had OPEN surgery follow your doctors lifting orders carefully! Like no more than 5 pounds for a month or more. Opens require cutting the muscle wall and this even once it heals leaves it sometimes weak enough to cause a incisional hernia. LAP incisonal hernia risk is near zero according to my surgeon, he has futher relaxed the lifting rules lately to something like dont do it if it hurts.
   — bob-haller

October 10, 2003
You can get a hernia whether you have open or lap surgery. My surgeon told me that I would surely have several because I had been so obese for so long that the abdominal muscles had atrophied and that when the fat that was supporting the abdominal wall went away, the wall would tear. It did - I had 9 hernias and 17 weak spots when it was repaired. I how have my entire abdomen reinforced with surgical mesh to keep it from tearing again. Of course there are other things that can cause it too. I had been very obese for at least 25 years and the muscles were shot - but, the good news is that the necessity for the hernia repair got me my tummy tuck.
   — Patty_Butler

October 10, 2003
I have been so fortunate not to get a hernia yet and hopefully won't. However, for the rest of your life an incisional hernia can crop up. My mom got one this summer along the upper part of her gallbladder removal scar from 18 years ago. So use lots of common sense when lifting for a very long time, but just know that if it wants to let go it will. I did not go back to doing any abdominal exercises until I was about 7 months PO, trying to help the ole abdominal wall get as strong as possible.
   — zoedogcbr

October 10, 2003
From WebMD: "What Is a Hernia? A hernia occurs when an organ or tissue squeezes through a hole or a weak spot in a surrounding muscle or connective tissue called fascia. The most common types are inguinal, incisional, femoral, umbilical, and hiatal. In an incisional hernia, the intestine pushes through the abdominal wall at the site of previous abdominal surgery. This type is most common in elderly or overweight people who are inactive after abdominal surgery. What Causes Hernias? Ultimately, all hernias are caused by a combination of pressure and an opening or weakness of muscle or fascia: The pressure pushes an organ or tissue through the opening or weak spot. Sometimes the muscle weakness is present at birth; more often, it occurs later in life. Poor nutrition, smoking, and overexertion all can weaken muscles and make hernias more likely. Anything that causes an increase in pressure in the abdomen can then cause a hernia, including obesity, lifting heavy objects, diarrhea or constipation, or persistent coughing or sneezing. " What can cause a hernia: - lifts something heavy - twisting further than normal - sneezing, coughing - straining to go to the bathroom
   — Marrilee M.

October 10, 2003
Bob~ If you pop back on I have had a hernia both from my Open DS and from my LAP hernia repair LOL I got it at the site of one of the ports made. So it does happen with either surgery~StephiAZ~Open DS 08/12/2002 -145 pounds Hernia Repair 05/21/2003 Tuumt Tuck w/ hernia repair 11/17/2003
   — Stephanie B.

October 10, 2003
My surgeon Dr Philip Schauer says the incisional hernia risk for LAP WLS in someone who never had previous open belly surgery is very near zero. Thats why he has nearly no lifting restrictions for post ops.
   — bob-haller

October 10, 2003
Steppphanie that came up. His explnation is that once you have open surgery theres a lifetime hernia risk and at that point lAP surgery may also cause a hernia, but its less of a chance than additional open surgery.
   — bob-haller

October 11, 2003
I have had an incisional hernia before and it was caused by lifting my 2 1/2 year old after having a c-section with my last child. They have lifting restrictions for very good reasons and if you follow them carefully you should have no problem. A hernia occurs when your abdominal muscles separate and your intestines come out through the opening. This can be very dangerous if the abdominal muscles constrict around the intestines, it can cause them to rupture. Hope this info. helps.
   — Dianne W.