I have surgery in about a week and i was just putting some papers together and saw that mesh can be made of pig skin! Now I'm absolutely freaking out! I'm Vegan, there is no way I can have part of animal sewn into my body the thought doesn't even bare thinking about. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do right now and I'm even worrying that even if i tell someone I could still get it and I'll be incredibly paranoid that it's been put in my body. Please somebody tell me that this isn't used. I'm in the UK š
Yes,it is made from pig ,but its not pig skin. Thats just an easy way to describe it. It used to be synthetic mesh which has caused lots of lawsuits as it sometimes eroded into neighbouring tissues and caused pain. Synthetic tissue is now banned for the moment in UK. āPig skinā mesh is much more like human tissue and blends perfectly,thats why it is the mesh of choice.Pig DNA is very similar to humans as well.
If you are seriously worried by having Pig skin mesh then please phone your Consultants secretary and tell her/him your concerns. Dont leave it until the last minute
This is only the case for vaginal repair. Vaginal tissue can not support the structure of synthetic mesh which is why it caused erosion and is now banned.
Iām having a rectal prolapse repair done abdominally so there should be no reason not to use the synthetic mesh as itās still allowed?
Iāve tried to contact the hospital but itās so hard to get in touch with anyone and my surgeons secretary is off sick. I havenāt received any admission paperwork yet either so itās pretty ridiculous. Iām so stressed.
