Ventral Hernias: An FAQ

Thousands of patients experience ventral (incisional)
hernias every year, and most of these hernias require
hernial repair surgery. Here are some frequently asked
questions about ventral hernia repair.

What is a hernia?

A hernia occurs when an organ begins to protrude or push
through the wall of muscle that surrounds it. What is a
ventral hernia?

A ventral hernia is also known as an incisional hernia.
Ventral hernias occur when a piece of an abdominal organ
such as the intestine or bowel bursts through a weak area
of a patient's abdominal wall where an old surgical scar is
located.

Why do ventral hernias occur?

Post-operative scar tissue can stretch or thin out after
surgery, leading to weak spots in the abdomen. The scar
tissue can then stretch out or thin due to straining during
bowel movements, intense or recurrent coughing, weight
gain, pregnancy, vomiting, or strenuous physical activity
such as weightlifting. These make the abdominal wall more
susceptible to strain and hernia.

Who is at risk for ventral hernias?

Pregnant and obese patients are at especial risks; patients
who have had abdominal surgery in the past are also at risk.

Are ventral hernias dangerous?

Yes. In fact, the United States has the world's highest
mortality rate for ventral hernias. Some ventral hernias
incarcerate, or trap, internal organs and require immediate
surgical intervention.

How do I know if I have a ventral hernia?

You will need a doctor's diagnosis in order to confirm a
suspected ventral hernia. Common symptoms of ventral hernia
include discomfort or tenderness while lifting heavy
objects, coughing or putting other stress on the body;
bulges in the abdominal area, some of which may be pushed
back into place or disappear when laying down;
constipation; vomiting and nausea; or abdominal pain.

If you suspect you have a ventral hernia, visit your
doctor. Your doctor will examine you and possibly ask you
to cough while he presses into your abdominal area in order
to find the potential hernia.

How are ventral hernias treated?

Some ventral hernias are treated with a truss, a special
belt that keeps the hernia from bulging and pushing through
the abdominal wall. Others are treated with a
recommendation that the patient refrain from any strenuous
activity. However, surgery is more common; herniorrhaphy
procedures repair the abdominal wall after pressing the
piece of organ back into its original position.

As medical technology progresses, laparoscopic procedures
are more common. These operations are performed with a
special device that allows the surgeon to view the interior
of the abdomen while performing surgery. This procedure
requires only very tiny incisions and involves less
recovery time than traditional surgical procedures.

Sometimes, doctors insert a mesh hernia patch, such as the
Bard Composix Kugel Mesh Patch, to reinforce the area of
ventral hernia. A small incision is made and the mesh patch
is folded and placed behind the hernia area. The patch then
springs open due to its "memory recoil ring" technology,
which causes it to lay flat in the appropriate area and
reinforce the hernia.

What about the Bard Kugel Mesh Patch recall?

The FDA recently updated a 2005 recall on some larger sizes
of the Bard Composix Kugel Mesh Patch, citing failures in
the "memory recoil rings" that cause the patch to rupture
the bowel or create abnormal organ passageways (intestinal
fistulae). Davol, which manufactures and distributes the
patch, has issued voluntary recalls of the Composix patches
in the past and may do so again; in any case, it faces
lawsuits and legal action related to medical complications
from failed mesh hernia patches.

What should I do if I've been affected by the hernia mesh
recall?

If you have been affected by a hernia patch failure or
would like to learn more about the hernia patch recall,
contact an attorney with medical device experience today.
Your hernia patch lawyer can help assess your case and
assist you with your claim against Bard in relation to its
defective hernia patch. You may even be eligible for
compensation for medical expenses and other related costs.
Speak with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible if you
feel these circumstances apply to you or a loved one.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information about the Kugel Hernia Mesh Recall, or
other legal questions, answers can be found at
http://www.legalview.com/ . LegalView.com is your source
for everything legal on the web. Using LegalView.com's
attorney referral service, visitors can also be put in
touch with a brain injury lawyer or a mesothelioma
attorney. Also, visit
http://composix-hernia-mesh.legalview.com to be put in
touch with a Kugel Mesh recall attorney.