Hernia occurs when there is weakness in the abdominal wall. It starts as a small swelling and gradually increases in size. The swelling gets reduced automatically on lying down.
Weakness can be caused due to many factors such as chronic cough, increased pressure on the abdomen, lifting heavy weight, previous surgery on the abdomen. Sometimes rarely weakness may be present since birth also.
I have chronic pain near my inguinal region. Can it be due to hernia?
Yes it can be due to hernia. But not all inguinal pain will be due to hernia. It can be due to other causes also. It’s better to get an expert opinion to find out the cause and get treatment accordingly.
Does hernia need surgery?
Yes. There’s no medical management for the hernia. All hernias will be treated my surgical management.
What are the types of surgery available?
- Laparoscopic hernia repair
- Open hernia repair.
Which is the best? Open or Laparoscopy?
Both are standard treatments for Hernia repair. Sometimes in cases when there are multiple previous surgeries, large hernia, in cases with intestinal obstruction and multiple recurrent hernia,open hernia repair will be helpful. In cases where the defect size is small, patients who wants to resume their normal activities soon laparoscopy surgery will be beneficial. Depending on individual patient factors, it will vary.
What are the complications of surgery?
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Injury to adjacent structures
- Recurrence
Not everyone who undergoes the procedure will have all these complications. The purpose of explaining the complications is to maintain transparency in the treatment, educate our patients and empower them to make informed decisions.
What complications can occur if I choose not to undergo surgery?
Complications include pain, intestinal obstruction, Gangrene of the bowel.
If the defect is very small complications are usually less. If you delay the treatment, the defect will become larger in size. Sometimes intestine may get stuck inside and complications can occur. Early diagnosis and early surgery can prevent these complications.
My doctor told me that they will use mesh to repair the hernia. What is it?
Hernia surgery will require placement of mesh during surgery. As hernia occurs due to weakness in the abdominal wall, mesh is used to provide support and strength to the abdominal wall. It reduces recurrence rate.
Will the mesh needs to be removed after sometime?
No, it will be placed permanently and there’s no need to remove the mesh.
How long will be my hospital stay?
Usually after the surgery, you will be discharged in a day or two depending on the individual patient condition.
At Dr M.R.Santhi Hospital, we are doing both Laparoscopic and open hernia surgery. Complicatons occur due to delay in the treatment. Do not delay. If you have symptoms and signs of hernia, get evaluated and get treated.
