Simply put, a hernia is a hole in the muscle wall of the abdomen. It develops after straining because of heavy lifting, pushing, or possibly, a congenital weakness of the tissue. It signifies wear and tear on the body. The sign of a hernia is a bulge in the groin area or abdominal wall. If left untreated, a hernia can be life threatening and cause horrifying pain.
Intestines can become trapped in the hole and become strangled.
Fortunately, the problem rarely becomes that chronic, and treatment has improved substantially over recent years. Instead of trying to stitch the hole back together, which causes tension and pain, most surgeons now patch the hernia. With a single cut, mild sedation and a local anesthetic, we insert the screen behind the hole. This tension-free repair means the patient recovers quickly, and in some cases, returns to work the next day. Most patients, however, need about two weeks to recover, compared to up to six weeks with the traditional surgery.