Hernia Repair—Everything You Need to Know about the surgery

A hernia is a condition where your abdominal wall tears, weakens or bulges. The situation happens when your organ or fatty tissue presses through a weak area in the nearby muscle wall or connective tissue. When you’re suffering from a hernia, it may be difficult for the condition to improve without treatment. If you ignore the problem for long, it can worsen by getting bigger and cause severe effects. In rare cases, hernias can trigger life-threatening impacts. Your physician may recommend surgery when you’re suffering from this condition.

There are different kinds of hernias—not all of them require immediate treatment or surgery. Your hernia symptoms or size will determine the type of treatment the doctor will recommend for improving the condition. Your condition may not require treatment if it fails to be symptomatic.

Types of Hernias

Understanding the different types of hernias is vital in helping you know the kind of treatment that will suit your condition. Common types of this condition include:

 Femoral Hernia- A femoral hernia affects the outer groin or upper thigh area. It occurs in the femoral canals (deeper passages). Women are more at risk of suffering from this condition than men.

Inguinal Hernia- the condition affects the innermost groin region. It occurs when your intestine obtrudes through one of the two inguinal canals, the two passages underneath the abdominal wall. Studies reveal that approximately 4% of women and 28% of men will develop the condition at a certain time.

Hiatal Hernias- a hiatal hernia occurs when the higher part of your stomach upsurges into the chest region via the hiatus (a small opening in your diaphragm). It results in the gap allowing the esophagus to move through the diaphragm.

A Ventra Hernia- this hernia occurs through the opening in the abdominal muscles. 

This condition comes in three categories, including:

An Umbilical Hernia is an incisional hernia that occurs near the belly button. It mostly affects newborns, particularly infants born prematurely.

An Incisional Hernia, this condition happens when the abdominal muscles weaken due to an incision made during a past abdominal surgery.

An Epigastric Hernia, this condition affects the region above the belly button.

Hernia Repair Surgery

Surgery is usually the best treatment for hernias. There are three types of surgeries suitable to treat hernia, including open repair, robotic repair, and laparoscopic repair.

Open Hernia Repair

Open hernia repair involves a surgeon making a cut, or incision, in the groin. It’s a surgical process that starts with the surgeon trying to identify the hernia ‘sac’ that contains the bulging intestine. After the surgeon spots it, they try to push the hernia to its initial position before using synthetic mesh or stitches to strengthen the abdominal wall. When your surgeon performs this surgery correctly, they can recommend you relax for a few hours before going home. Your surgeon will advise you to avoid strenuous exercise or activity for a few weeks after the treatment.

Laparoscopic Hernia Repair

Laparoscopic hernia repair is also called minimally invasive. This surgery includes inserting a slim, telescope-like gadget at the belly button or umbilicus. The device allows them to view your inner structure via a screen. The surgeon performs this process under general anesthesia. Before the surgery, your physician will assess your health by performing a physical exam, an electrocardiogram, etc. There is no pain felt during the surgery.

During the surgery, the doctor connects the laparoscope to a small video camera that will help present your body’s ‘inside view’ onto screens that are in a strategic location in the operating theatre. They then inflate your abdomen with carbon II oxide, or any other reliable harmless gas, to create space that allows them to see your inner structures. When your surgeon can view the internal systems, they cut the peritoneum, which is the interior lining of your abdomen, to expose what is weakening the abdominal wall. They then cover the defects by placing a mesh on the inner side of the abdominal wall.

After completing the surgical process, the surgeon closes the small abdominal cuts with a surgical tape or a stitch.

Robotic Hernia Repair

The robotic hernia repair involves the surgeon performing the surgery using a laparoscope. The surgical process is similar to a laparoscopic hernia repair (a tiny camera, small cuts, inflation of your abdominal walls, projecting the inner part of your abdominal wall onto screens).

But laparoscopic and robotic hernia repairs are not similar in all aspects. Robotic hernia surgery, unlike laparoscopic surgery, involves the surgeon sitting at an instrument panel in the operating theatre, from where they handle the apparatus they use during the surgical process.

When Your Doctor May Recommend a Hernia Repair Surgery

There are several reasons that may push your doctor to recommend hernia surgery.  When the hernia is growing larger or causes discomfort or pain,  when something is trapping the intestinal tissues in your abdominal wall and when there is strangulation of the hernia.

When to See Your Doctor after Undergoing Hernia Repair Surgery

It would be vital to seek medical help if you encounter one or more of the following signs. You encounter symptoms that were not there before undergoing the surgery, change or paleness in the skin tint, your testicles become hard and swollen, you experience stomach cramps, you don’t experience bowel movement for more than three days, you experience pain and inflammation that doesn’t disappear even when you use pain medications, the incision wound fails to heal, and fever. If you have any other symptoms you should also reach out and seek medical advice. 

Why Choose Alvaro Garcia for Your Hernia Repair Surgery?

Alvaro Garcia is a board-certified surgeon specializing in laparoscopic and robotic procedures. The surgeon has extensive knowledge about any new surgical approach in hernia repair and what causes a hernia, which means they can ensure they customize a treatment plan that suits your specific medical needs. You can contact the office of Alvaro Garcia to learn more about hernia repair surgery or schedule your treatment with the best surgeon in South Florida who consistently achieves quality results when addressing any hernia you may be suffering from today.