Help me decide... bad metals in surgery

A hernia surgeon wants to put permanent Surgical Stainless Steel (SSS) sutures in me. The surgery is not critical and I could decide not to have surgery unless the hernia gets worse. As it is now the hernia is not a huge problem, just an annoyance.

Why am I concerned? My first rule of health is *DO NO HARM*.

SSS sutures are metal, and contain nickel and chromium. Nickel is a very carcinogenic metal, and toxic, and those of you who have pierced earrings know that nickel/SSS earrings can cause problems. I can't just remove the sutures like they were earrings or a tooth filling if I develop a reaction. Even if I'm not allergic, it's still a "problem metal". I hear the same argument that the ADA uses to defend mercury, that mercury is bound to the silver fillings and becomes "inert". Surgeons say that the nickel in SSS is bound to the steel and becomes "inert". Obviously some nickel leaches or there wouldn't be "nickel-free" SSS implant products for patients who are allergic to nickel. The same surgeon who told me that SSS is perfectly inert and doesn't leach nickel also admited that plastic sutures are sometimes used instead of SSS for people who are allergic to nickel - to me this contradicts itself.

Even if the risk of toxicity or symptoms are small, the permanent nature could make it a huge problem. My only option for sutures is SSS that contain nickel - all SSS sutures have nickel and plastic can't be used in my case.

You might see this as a silly issue, but I've been burned hard by 14 mercury fillings and my gut and logic tell me that this SSS metal is also not good. And sutures are permanent.

I can live with my hernia as it is now, but would like it fixed because it is annoying (could the hernia get worse? YES.) Could I live with metals like nickel and chromium in me for the rest of my life? Good swap?

Would you have a problem with having permanent Stainless Steel Sutures being placed inside your body?





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A hernia surgeon wants to put permanent Surgical Stainless Steel (SSS) sutures in me. The surgery is not critical and I can safely live with deciding not to have surgery - the hernia is a slight annoyance and not critical.

Why am I concerned? My first rule of health is *DO NO HARM*.

SSS sutures are metal, and contain nickel and chromium. Nickel is a very carcinogenic metal, and toxic, and those of you who have pierced earrings know that nickel/SSS earrings can cause problems. I can't just remove the sutures like they were earrings or a tooth filling if I develop a reaction. Even if I'm not allergic, it's still a "problem metal". I hear the same argument that the ADA uses to defend mercury, that mercury is bound to the silver fillings and becomes "inert". Surgeons say that the nickel in SSS is bound to the steel and becomes "inert". Obviously some nickel leaches or there wouldn't be "nickel-free" SSS implant products for patients who are allergic to nickel. Even if the risk of toxicity or symptoms are small, the permanent nature could make it a huge problem.

The same surgeon who told me that SSS is perfectly inert and doesn't leach nickel also admited that plastic sutures are sometimes used instead of SSS for people who are allergic to nickel. To me this contradicts itself. My only option for sutures is SSS that contain nickel - all SSS sutures have nickel and plastic can't be used in my case.

You might see this as a silly issue, but I've been burned hard by 14 mercury fillings and my gut and logic tell me that this SSS metal is also not good. And sutures are permanent.

I can live with my hernia as it is now, but would like it fixed because it is annoying. Could I live with metals like nickel and chromium in me for the rest of my life? Good swap?

My question is not about hernias really, it is about the sutures used. Would you have a problem with having permanent Stainless Steel Sutures being placed inside your body?