Giant incisional hernia surgery: Mumbai woman regains independence after complex reconstruction

A team of surgeons successfully treated a recurrent incisional hernia in a 75-year-old woman, giving her much-needed relief and helping her get back to living independently. The complex surgery involved placing her abdominal organs back where they belong and rebuilding her weakened abdominal wall.

The Navi Mumbai resident came to the outpatient department at Medicover Hospital in December 2025 with a large swelling in her abdomen that had been troubling her for years. It caused constant pain, heaviness, and discomfort. Walking short distances, sitting comfortably, or standing for a while had become exhausting.

After a CT scan of her abdomen, doctors found a giant incisional hernia with a defect measuring nearly 18 cm. Because the abdominal wall had been weak for so long, the space inside her abdomen had gradually reduced.

Given the severity of the condition and the patient’s age, the surgical team planned a complex abdominal wall reconstruction to restore anatomy and function.

Dr Nitin Tawte, GI & Hernia surgeon at Medicover Hospital, said,” An incisional hernia is a condition where internal organs or tissues push through a weak area in the abdominal wall, especially at the site of a previous surgical incision. This was a very challenging case because the patient had already undergone multiple surgeries, and the abdominal wall defect was extremely large. Over time, the muscles had weakened, and the internal organs had gradually moved out of the abdominal cavity.Such giant hernias require careful planning, step-by-step reconstruction, and meticulous surgical technique to avoid complications.”

Dr Chirag Vaja and Dr Sarang Bajpai - GI & Hernia surgeons said, “Our team performed a complex abdominal wall reconstruction as per well established International guidelines, bringing all the internal organs back to their normal position and rebuilding the abdominal muscles layer by layer. In the first stage, Botox injections were administered into all abdominal wall muscles to help relax and lengthen the muscles. The final step involved hernia repair with the component separation technique and abdominal wall reconstruction. A large 30 × 30 cm mesh was used to provide strong and long-term reinforcement and support to the abdominal wall, lowering the risk of recurrence. The surgery was completed successfully over a duration of four hours, following which the patient showed steady recovery.”

Dr Nitin Tawte further added that “The patient was able to walk the very next day after surgery, was gradually started and stabilized on a normal diet within two days, and was discharged within five days. The surgical wound had completely healed. She has been advised to wear an abdominal belt for 1 to 1.5 months to support healing and prevent recurrence.”

The patient said, “The doctors explained everything clearly and gave me confidence. After the surgery, I feel much lighter and healthier. I am very thankful to all the treating doctors and the entire team at Medicover Hospital for giving me a new life.”