Surgeons may use tissues from the patient or man-made materials to build a new wall against future hernias. A rare but serious complication is a strangulated hernia. A loop of intestine is pinched so tightly that the blood supply is cut off and gangrene develops. Gangrene is dead tissue that becomes infected. This condition can be life-threatening and calls for immediate surgery.
Surgeons remove the portion of intestines with gangrene and connect the healthy ends.
Full recovery may take a month. If you are scheduled for hernia repair and develop a cough or cold, let your surgeon know. A cough can place stress on stitches in the groin or abdomen. Your surgery may be postponed. After surgery, you should watch the area around the stitches for redness or other signs of infection.