HERNIA FOLLOWING RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY

[hil6221]

My partner went through a Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy in January this year and thankfully he got the all clear in early March. Shortly after that, a lump appeared around the exit scar and this was diagnosed as a hernia by his GP.

He is now waiting for surgery on this large hernia, but has heard that it's quite common for patients to get a hernia following a prostatectomy. Is anyone else in the same boat at him? Anyone know why this happens?

[Mr Christopher Eden]

If the deeper layers of a wound fail to heal soundly then an incisional hernia results. This should be relatively unusual - it occurs in less than 1% in my laparoscopic radical prostatectomy practice. A number of things predispose to impaired would healing, which include diabetes, old age, poor nutrition, obesity, steroids, cytoxic therapy. 'Technical' issues may lead to a higher incidence of incisional hernia amongst surgeons. Straining due to constipation and a chronic cough, both of which raise the intra-abdominal pressure, can also lead to a higher incidence.