Woman finds relief after 20-yr battle with incisional hernia

Anshita Mehra

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New Delhi, July 10

A 46-year-old woman from Delhi has finally found relief after suffering from an incisional hernia for the last 20 years. Her condition followed a Caesarean section surgery during the birth of her second child and had progressively worsened over the years, causing significant pain and complications.

An incisional hernia occurs when abdominal contents, including the small and large intestines and omentum, protrude through a weakened area in the abdominal wall. For this patient, the hernia grew increasingly symptomatic over the last two years, leading to severe pain, abdominal fullness, weight gain and diabetes. She experienced two episodes of bowel obstruction recently, which further exacerbated her condition and severely impacted her daily life.

Unable to perform simple activities like coughing, passing motion, or even deep breathing comfortably, the woman sought help at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where Dr Ashish Dey and his team performed her surgery. Dr Dey, a senior consultant in the department of laparoscopic surgery, specialises in complex hernia cases. Remarkably, the hospital waived all charges for this patient, who belonged to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category, making the surgery accessible despite its usual cost of Rs 3-4 lakh.

“The novel technique of ‘Posterior Component Separation’ or ‘Rives-Stoppa, Transversus Abdominis release (RS-TAR)’ comes to the rescue in these kinds of large complex hernias,” Dr Dey explained. “This technique helps to bring together the retracted muscles, create a large space for a significantly larger mesh, and ultimately prevents recurrence of the hernia. This surgery can also be performed laparoscopically, a surgical technique in which short, narrow tubes (trochars) are inserted into the abdomen through small incisions which increases patient compliance and significantly reduces pain. Nowadays, such hernias are treated with the surgical robot in major hospitals.”

Post-surgery, the patient reported being completely pain-free and was able to move around with an abdominal belt the day after her operation. She was discharged within a few days and continues to be asymptomatic, expressing profound gratitude for the care she received. “My only regret is that I should have gotten it done much earlier,” she said.

The patient’s case underscores the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate management of large hernias to minimise their debilitating impact. As Dr Dey highlighted, “Large hernias can cause multiple digestive problems and may require emergency surgery when herniated organs become trapped, leading to intense pain and vomiting due to bowel obstruction or strangulation.”

Her successful surgery serves as a beacon of hope for many suffering from similar conditions, demonstrating that timely intervention and advanced medical techniques can significantly improve the quality of life.