Will I Always Feel the Margins of Surgical Mesh Placed During Abdominoplasty/ventral Hernia Repair?

Question

I had surgery to repair severe diastasis recti and a ventral hernia 6 days ago. My plastic surgeon advocated for and used surgical mesh in the repair because I am a very active athletic person (5.3 and 120 lbs), and he said it would be much stronger and less likely to ever come apart. However, I can clearly feel the ridge of the mesh under my skin. Will this edge soften as my body heals around the mesh, or am I going to be stuck feeling like I have a thin frisbee in my abdomen forever?

Fereydoon S. Mahjouri, MD · Answer

In order to enhance the strengh of the abdominal muscles and to repair diastasis recti/ventral hernia, during abdominoplasty, sometimes a mesh is sutured to the abdominal muscles. If you have minimal subcutaneous fat, in the immediate post operative period, you may feel the edges of the mesh initially and if the mesh is absorable they gradually go away. If it was not absorbale the solution is to trim them surgically or consider do fat grafting aroud the palpable edges.

Raj S. Ambay, MD · Answer

Things should b]get better over time but because you are thin you may always feel the mesh directly below your skin.

Robert F. Centeno, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. With time and incorporation the palpability of your mesh should improve.  Thin patients are at risk for always feeling it to some extent if the mesh is made of permanent material.  Things should get better with time. best wishes on your recovery.

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD · Answer

There are several factors that could contribute to the palpability of your surgical mesh. How much soft tissue do you have to cover the edges and what type of mesh was used. If it was an absorbable mesh then it will get better with time. If it is a non-absorbable mesh it is possible that as soft tissue grows around the material it will be less palpable. Your plastic surgeon is in the best position to answer this question.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Frankly, this is not a "problem” that I have encountered clinically. It may very well be a situation where only time will tell whether, as scar tissue forms around the mesh,  the mesh will become less palpable.

	Sorry,  I cannot provide you with more precise/meaningful information.

	Best wishes.

Will I Always Feel the Margins of Surgical Mesh Placed During Abdominoplasty/ventral Hernia Repair?

Answers (5)