Inguinal hernia repair is surgery to repair a hernia in the abdominal wall of your groin. A hernia is tissue that bulges out of a weak spot in the abdominal wall. Your intestines may bulge out through this weakened area.
During hernia repair, this bulging tissue is pushed back in. Your abdominal wall is strengthened and supported with sutures (stitches), and sometimes mesh.
You will probably receive general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free) or spinal anesthesia for this surgery. If your hernia is small, you may receive local anesthesia and medicine to relax you. You will be awake but pain-free.
In open surgery, your surgeon will make a cut near your hernia.
Your surgeon may use a laparoscope instead of doing open surgery.
Your doctor may suggest hernia repair surgery if you have pain or your hernia bothers you during your everyday activities. If your hernia is not causing you problems, you may not need surgery. However, these hernias most often do not go away on their own, and they may get larger.
Sometimes the intestines can be trapped inside. This can be life threatening. If it happens, you would need emergency surgery right away.
Risks for any surgery are:
Risks for this surgery are:
Always tell your doctor or nurse if:
During the week before your surgery:
On the day of your surgery:
Most patients are able to get out of bed an hour or so after this surgery. Most can go home the same day, but some may need to stay in the hospital overnight.
Some men may have problems passing urine after hernia surgery. If you have problems urinating, you may need a catheter (a flexible tube that will drain urine) in your bladder for a short time.
The outcome of this surgery is usually very good. The hernia returns in less than 3 out of 100 patients who have this surgery.
Herniorrhaphy; Hernioplasty - inguinal
Malangoni MA, Rosen MJ. Hernias. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 44.
Updated by: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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