Hernia Surgery
What is a hernia?
A hernia is a hole or defect in the abdominal wall muscle and fascia that allows structures such as fat or intestines to push through to the area just under the skin. The most common locations are the belly button and the groin but these can happen essentially anywhere in the abdominal wall. Most commonly a hernia just contains fatty tissue pushing through the hernia defect but sometimes the small or large intestines can herniate. If bowel gets stuck in a hernia, emergency abdominal hernia surgery may be necessary. Some patients refer to hernia surgery as "removing the hernia". This isn't quite correct since the abdominal hernia surgery isn't usually removing anything - it is closing a defect or hole in the abdominal wall.
What are the types of hernias?
Inguinal Hernia
A bulge in the groin that occurs when intestine or other abdominal tissue pushes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall. It typically appears as a soft lump on one side of the pubic or groin area that often improves when lying down.
Femoral Hernia
A bulge that occurs in the upper thigh or groin when tissue or intestine pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall into the femoral canal. It often appears low in the groin/upper inner thigh.
Umbilical Hernia
A bulge that appears at or near the belly button when intestine or other abdominal tissue pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall muscles. It is usually harmless in children but can cause discomfort or complications in adults.
Spigelian Hernia
A rare type of abdominal wall hernia where tissue or intestine pushes through a defect in the layer between the abdominal muscles on the side of the lower abdomen. It often causes localized pain and may worsen with straining or lifting.
Epigastric Hernia
A small bulge between the breastbone and the belly button, caused by fat or other tissue pushing through a weak spot in the abdominal wall. It often appears as a tender lump, and many are small and cause few or no symptoms.
Incisional Hernia
A bulge that develops at or near the site of a previous abdominal surgical incision when tissue or part of an organ pushes through weakened scar tissue in the abdominal wall. It usually appears as a lump along an old scar.
How can I tell if I have a hernia?
The most common symptom of a hernia is a bulge. Most of the time the bulge can be pushed back in the abdomen and will pop back out on it's own or with coughing or straining. However some hernias are incarcerated and can not be pushed back in (also called reducing the hernia). For bigger patients, a hernia may not be detectable by physical exam and imaging such as a CT scan may be needed to find the hernia. Most hernias cause pain but some do not.
How does abdominal hernia repair surgery work?
Hernias can be repaired by an open approach or laparoscopic or robotic approach. Mesh is usually used for hernia repairs because the risk of a hernia coming back is much lower when mesh is used. The amount of post operative pain is often much lower when mesh is used as well - especially with inguinal hernias. Primarily due to the many commercials put out by lawyers, many patients are very concerned to have a hernia mesh surgery. These lawsuits involve mesh that was recalled years ago and the mesh that hernia Doctor Harris uses has been studied extensively and found to be safe - he would not hesitate to have it used on himself or a family member if needed. Contact us to learn more about hernia mesh surgery.
How long is a hernia repair surgery recovery?
This is very dependent on the size and type of hernia as well as the patient's pain tolerance. Some patients go back to work in just a few days and others need a week or two off depending on the type of work they do. Heavy lifting should generally be avoided for a minimum of two weeks.
Is hernia repair surgery considered major surgery?
Most of the time it is not major surgery and patients go home the same day. However, there are exceptions such as when the intestines get strangulated in a hernia and loose their blood supply which may require emergency surgery and resection of the affected bowel. Also, some hernias become so large that the muscle and fascia is difficult to pull back together and more extensive surgery may be required to complete the repair.
Can a hernia come back?
Yes but this is very rare for hernia Doctor Harris' patients. Using mesh will reduce your risk of hernia recurrence. For patients who are overweight or gain substantial weight after surgery, the risk of hernia recurrence is higher.
Can I walk after hernia repair surgery?
Yes and walking is encouraged. If you had a groin hernia repaired, you may have some soreness with moving your leg during recovery but it should not keep you from walking.
Contact us today
If you are looking for a general surgeon near Birmingham, AL, Dr. Adam Harris, MD, might be the right choice. He is an experienced board-certified and Mayo Clinic Trained providing quality care to patients.
Dr. Adam Harris is a specialist in hernia repair surgery. Schedule an appointment today at (205) 995-9700.