What is Herniorrhaphy?
Herniorrhaphy is surgery to correct a hernia and is carried out using a variety of techniques depending on the location and size of the protrusion.
A hernia is a general term referring to a protrusion of tissue through the wall of the cavity in which it is normally contained. Most areas of the body are separated by tissue walls that are made up of muscle, fascia (a thick band of fibrous tissue), or other structures. Occasionally, a weakness will develop in a tissue wall allowing the contents to push outward or sometimes to push completely through the wall. These weak points tend to develop in similar areas for most people and therefore are usually well understood and easily recognized by a physician.
Who are candidates for Hernia Repair?
If the hernia causes significant pain or allows a lot of tissue to protrude through a structural wall, your physician may recommend hernia repair. Some hernias do not cause significant problems and are not treated with surgery.
Two types of hernias are especially common:
Inguinal Hernias: occur along the front of the pelvis near the abdomen. Inguinal hernias are more common in men and may include symptoms such as pain or a lump in the side of the scrotum.
Umbilical Hernias: develop near the umbilicus, which is the medical term for “belly button.” They occur because there is a natural thinning of the abdominal wall at the location where our umbilical cord exited our bodies in the womb. Pregnancy or obesity can cause an umbilical hernia or make a small hernia larger.
These are the most common types, but hernias can occur almost anywhere in the body.
What is the Hernia Repair recovery process?
You will likely go home on the same day of the surgery or the day after surgery. Complete recovery from surgery varies depending on your circumstances. You may recover in two to four weeks or up to six months.
You should be careful when you bathe as not to get the incision site wet. You should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity for six to eight weeks.
What are alternatives to Hernia Repair?
Most hernias do not require surgery and are often simply monitored by your physician. Persistently painful hernias, or those that become enlarged or potentially trap or pinch other structures (like intestines) must be treated surgically.