Hernia Surgery

The medical term for hernia surgery is herniorrhaphy (her” ne-or’ah-fe). Hernia surgery can involve more than one physical location as hernias can range from inguinal, hiatal, femoral, or umbilical hernias. All hernias are caused by an internal organ creating a bulge because it has gone through weakened muscle.

Inguinal hernias happen when the intestine creates a bulge in the groin or scrotum, and is the most common hernia that happens to males. Hiatal hernias are caused by the stomach protruding into the space that the chest wall inhabits due to weakening of supporting tissues such as muscle tissue A femoral hernia is located near the femoral artery in the upper thigh and is caused by the intestines having gone through muscle tissue as well.

Umbilical hernias are those appearing around the belly button and usually comprise of intestinal protrusions. Therefore hernia surgery is used to correct that bulge before it causes a blockage of either the stomach or intestines, which would then require emergency surgery.

If you have a hernia, surgery may also be recommended if previous surgery has weakened part of the musculature that is holding in either the intestines or stomach. That is called an incisional hernia.

Hernia surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed on Americans, possibly because Americans are often overweight, and being overweight tends to push around tissues to accommodate fat storage.

Once you have been diagnosed with a hernia and have decided to have your hernia repaired, tests will be given to you to ascertain that you are qualified for surgery and to make sure of your physical condition, blood type, etc. You’ll be given a sedative and a line will be inserted in your hand or forearm in order to be able to give you intravenous medicine. You will be unconscious during the operation itself, and thus will feel no pain.

In most hernia surgeries, the actual repair portion of the hernia surgery means that an opening will be created via an incision so that the surgeon can push the protruding tissue back where it belongs, and then the surgeon will either sew up the muscular tear, or possibly insert a mesh to hold the repair together.

Sometimes, the surgery may be done laparoscopically which means that a small tube containing a fiberoptic camera is inserted in a very small incision to guide the surgeon through the operation, and another tube is inserted for the surgeon to actually perform the operation. Not everyone is a candidate for this kind of surgery, thus your surgeon will decide for you.

Regardless of which type of hernia surgery you have gone through, recovery does not require much time, usually from one to six weeks, depending on what kind of hernia surgery you had, where the hernia was located and your capability to heal. You should be able to drive within about 24 hours following surgery. Pain will not be extreme either. You’ll be told to keep the incision dry at all times until it is completely healed.

Also, check out my other guide on gastric bypass complications and weight loss surgeries

Hernia Surgery

hernia repair surgery

Hernia Surgery

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