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What is a hernia?

A hernia is a protrusion of the bowels out through an area of weakness in the muscular layers surrounding the abdomen.  This most often occurs in the groin area, at the bellybutton, or along an old surgical scar in the abdomen.  The most common hernia is an inguinal, or groin, hernia, which is more common in men than women.  Umbilical hernias are also common.

What causes a hernia?

Hernias in boys and young men (about 30 years and under) are usually the result of an enlargement of the opening where the blood supply to the testicle exits the abdomen. This usually small opening can be of variable size, and if it's too large, the bowels can slip out, too. 

Older people are more likely to have a different area of weakness, but the bulge that results is in about the same place as in the other groin hernias. For patients with prior abdominal surgery, there may be incomplete healing of the abdominal wall layers after the initial surgery. A hernia may be more likely to occur after abdominal surgery if a patient had any infection in the incision, if the patient is overweight, or if steroid medicine is being taken.

Is laparoscopy an option for fixing my hernia?

We now have a variety of techniques available for repairing hernias. One method is to use laparoscopy.This technique involves placing some instruments behind the area of weakness, and placing some mesh underneath the weak area, instead of on top of the weak area. Other methods involve using mesh as a "plug", or as an "overlay" to repair the weak area. Each case should be evaluated individually to determine which alternative makes the most sense for a given patient. We are skilled in all the various techniques for hernia repair, and would be happy to discuss with you how your hernia might best be repaired.