Hernias & Gallstones

Generally surgical treatment is recommended to a patient with a hernia, mainly if it is accompanied with symptoms, growing in size or causing limitation in daily life. However on some occasions, mostly in elderly patients; non-surgical (conservative) management is suggested. A hernia truss, hernia support or corset used to be routinely employed in past. Now these products are less popular but still effectively used in selective cases.

An aim of hernia surgery is to close a defect in the abdominal wall. Two main techniques are available:

Hernia repair

It is a conventional approach to repair a hernia. Surgery can be performed under general or local anaesthetic. Routinely a synthetic mesh is placed to reinforced abdominal muscles and minimise the risk of hernia recurrence. Unfortunately this approach requires quite large single incision and extensive surgical dissection to repair a defect.

Laparoscopic hernia (keyhole) repair

This is new technique and increasingly popular these days.  A telescope and instruments are inserted inside the abdomen, using three small incisions size 5-10 mm. The carbon dioxide gas is used to inflate an abdomen to create space for surgery. A synthetic mesh is placed to close hernia defect. The gas is released at the end of the surgery. This technique allows hernia repairing with minimal trauma and excellent cosmetic effect. Patients experience less pain and faster recovery.

Nowadays this technique is routinely for inguinal hernia repair but more frequently for abdominal hernia repair.

Complications of hernia surgery?

Hernia repair is generally low risk surgery. Incidence of complication depends on a size of the surgery. Most common complications are bleeding infection, pain and hernia recurrence.