Hernia surgery: Who needs it and why?

What is a Hernia?

A hernia is a gap or weakness in the muscles of the abdominal wall. Due to this the inside fat, organs, intestines etc can bulge out on straining.

What are the common sites of Hernia?

There are several sites of hernia formation the common ones being the groins (inguinal or femoral hernia), the umbilicus, after previous surgery (incisional hernia), flanks (lumbar) hernia, diaphragm (hiatal hernia) etc.

What are the symptoms of a Hernia?

The symptoms due to a hernia may vary widely. While some patients may not have much symptoms, often the patient feels a bulge that gets bigger and discomforting with pressure like symptoms through the day.

Who needs hernia surgery?

Ideally, every hernia needs surgery as generally overtime the hernia size tends to increase and the hernia starts causing symptoms. There is also a small risk of the intestines or other viscera getting trapped in the hernia sac and becoming strangulated. Some patients who are high risk for surgery may, however, be kept under observation if they don’t have many symptoms due to the hernia.

How is hernia surgery done?

Most hernias can now be operated with minimally invasive techniques that shorten the time to recovery. Some large hernias, however, may require advanced abdominal wall reconstructions techniques such as the anterior or posterior component separation (TAR procedure).

Hernia surgery at Medanta Medicity

At Medanta Medicity hospital we carry out a large volume of hernia procedures. The aim is to provide the best hernia treatment with comprehensive care for all hernia patients. Laparoscopic hernia surgery is done for most hernias. We are a referral centre for large complex hernias. A multidisciplinary team is involved in patient care to provide the best outcomes. We specialize in the treatment of complex hernias with loss of domain. Dr Vikas Singhal having trained during Fellowship under Dr Yuri Novitsky at the Case Comprehensive Hernia Centre (University Hospital) in Cleveland, Ohio, has performed a large series of Posterior component separation surgery with Transversus abdominis release (TAR) procedure. The best hernia doctor will guide you and choose the best surgery for you.