Hernias are quite common and can be repaired surgically. More than one million hernia repair procedures are performed annually in the United States. Approximately 80% of these are inguinal hernias, which are located in the groin area. An innovation in hernia repair, which became widely used in the 1980s, is the use of hernia surgical mesh implants, inserted into the body where it is meant to provide reinforcement at the site of the hernia.