Hernia Surgery
What is a Hernia?
A hernia is a protrusion of organs through a weakened section in the abdominal wall. An organ, such as the intestines, bladder or appendix can push through the abdominal lining (abdominal muscle) through the weakness and form a balloon-like sac.
The hernia can be aggravated by straining caused by a chronic cough, constipation or heavy lifting. This can lead to pain, discomfort and irritation of the skin overlying the hernia. Hernias can sometimes become trapped in the abdominal wall opening leading to incarceration, where the blood supply to the intestine is cut off or could result in bowel obstruction. It can even lead to necrosis of the bowels.
Types of Hernias
Dr Ruwan Perera provides expert and specialized surgical care for the following types of hernias:
- Inguinal Hernias caused by protrusion of abdominal content into the inguinal canal
- Incisional Hernias from defects caused by past surgical incisions
- Umbilical Hernias from defects in and around the umbilicus
- Femoral Hernias caused by protrusion of abdominal content into the femoral canal
- Epigastric Hernias from defect in the abdominal wall just below the breast bone
- Complex Hernias which are hernias recognised to have higher complication and recurrence rates.
The best and most effective treatment for hernias is surgical repair. Most hernias are performed using the laparoscopic method, which is less painful and results in less time for recovery.
The Procedure
A hernia repair is performed under general anaesthesia.
Generally, the procedure involves reducing the abdominal contents from the sac and carefully dissecting the hernia sac. A mesh is then placed over the abdominal wall defect and fixed using staplers or tack. This supports the weakened area of the muscle and will be further strengthened by tissue growth over the mesh during the healing process.
The procedure takes 30 – 90 minutes.