A hernia can occur anywhere in your abdominal wall, but mostly like would appear in the lower abdomen, or groin. This is known as an inguinal hernia, where painless lump can quickly become a large, uncomfortable bulge that causes shooting pain every time you cough, bend, or lift something heavy.Because inguinal hernias can’t heal on their own or with conservative care and since they can lead to dangerous complications — surgical repair is almost always recommended.
Our surgeons at patient expert take minimally invasive approach to hernia repair that aims to correct the problem with the least amount of disruption. As one of the most common surgeries, four in five hernia repair surgeries (80% of all hernia procedures) are done to correct an inguinal hernia near the groin. In over 90% of hernia repair procedures, internal sutures and surgical mesh are combined to restore and fortify the abdomen. By using a surgical mesh along with internal sutures to repair, a hernia is associated with shorter operating time, a faster recovery, reduced risk of recurrence, and a better overall outcome.
Treatments for Hernia
Open Hernia Surgery vs Laparoscopic Hernia- Before the development of minimally invasive surgical techniques, all hernias were repaired via conventional open surgery. While some hernias are still repaired this way, laparoscopic surgery has quickly become the hernia repair method of choice.
Open hernia repair is a major surgery that’s performed with the aid of general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation. It’s done through one or two standard-sized incisions (three to six inches in length) that allow the surgeon to fully visualize and access the problematic area.
During an open repair, surgeon gently repositions the protruding bulge (usually fatty tissue or part of your small intestines) behind your abdominal wall, sews the weakened or separated area and reinforces it with surgical mesh, and then closes your incision with stitches, staples, or surgical glue. Strenuous activities should be avoided for at least a month as your body recovers.
Laparoscopic hernia repair is a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery that makes it possible to repair a hernia without inflicting too much trauma on nearby tissues. This advanced approach uses three or four tiny incisions (each no longer than half an inch) to offer full visualization and access, by inserting a tiny laparoscopic camera through one of the incisions. The surgeon is guided by the image on the monitor as he inserts specialized small-scale instruments through the other tiny incisions and expertly repairs, reinforces the area with sutures and surgical mesh.
