Hernia Surgery at Swedish Hospital
Swedish Hospital offers advanced surgical repair for hernias, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
For more information and to schedule an appointment with a surgeon, please call
773-293-8878.
General Questions About Hernias
What is a Hernia?
A hernia is when your insides are getting out through a hole. The contents of your abdomen, such as your intestines, are getting out through a hole in your abdomen.
What are the Symptoms of a Hernia?
Many hernias may give off a dull ache or sharp pain when stretching, lifting or applying pressure, but some hernias may not hurt at all. Some people feel full or experience swelling or a bulge in the abdomen, groin or scrotum.
Your primary care physician can help diagnose whether you have a hernia with a physical exam. The doctor will feel your abdomen while asking you to cough or strain.
How Serious is a Hernia?
Hernias can be dangerous because if your organs get stuck in the hole, they can fail to get enough oxygen and develop strangulation. Many hernias cause pain and some patients can experience significant discomfort due to the hernia.
Hernias should not be ignored for these reasons. Treatment options are available to repair the area and return you to a higher quality of life. Occasionally some people have hernias that don’t cause pain and are not otherwise worrisome. Of course, you need a surgeon’s judgment to guide you.
How Many Types of Hernia are There?
There are incisional, inguinal, femoral, epigastric diastasis, and rare abdominal wall hernias. Some hernias occur in other areas like your diaphragm and the connection between your chest and abdomen.
Surgeons typically classify hernias as:
- Reducible: In which the organs can travel in and out of the hole easily.
- Incarcerated: In which the organs are stuck in the hole.
- Strangulated: In which the organs are stuck in the hole and the blood supply has been compromised. This can be a serious issue as it can lead to tissue death over time.
What Causes a Hernia?
Hernias occur when your organs find their way out a hole in your muscle layer due to gravity or movements that makes your abdomen squeeze, such as lifting or straining. If you are overweight your extra weight can make an insignificant little hole bigger and turn it into a hernia.
Some of these holes occur naturally, such as the small hole left over from your umbilical cord. Over time, naturally occurring holes can grow larger due to factors such as weight gain, pregnancy or muscle loss.
New holes can also occur when muscles are overstretched, causing them to break spontaneously, or when surgical scars fail to heal normally. This can happen after infection or when patient weight overwhelms the original stitches.
Questions About Hernia Surgery
How are Hernias Repaired?
Hernias are repaired by closing the hole and reinforcing the closure to ensure that the internal contents can no longer break through it.
If the hole is very small (smaller than a centimeter), then your surgeon may simply stitch it together. Often, if the hole is larger, then your surgeon will stitch in a sterile mesh that is stronger than your body tissue to hold things together for you.
We prefer to repair hernias using minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy and robotic surgery, which minimizes the risks of traditional open surgery and results in a shorter recovery.
Is Hernia Surgery Considered a Major Surgery?
Hernia surgery is considered a major surgery because it is a significant event in your life. It requires anesthesia and preoperative medical evaluation so you can have a safe operation. However, it does not typically carry the additional risks of surgeries such as cardiac or cancer surgery.
Most patients are able to have their hernias repaired as an outpatient procedure, but this is not always the case. Your surgeon will discuss your treatment options and help you determine what is right for you.
Does Every Hernia Require Surgery?
There is no medical cure for a hernia. Surgery is required to repair the hole.
There are some products on the market that claim to help individuals manage hernias by holding external pressure over the herniated area. These can help a little but are not recommended as they frequently don’t really work well. They are not a long-term replacement for surgical care.
How Safe is Hernia Mesh and How Long Does It Last?
Sterile hernia mesh is a very safe and essential component of hernia repair. Most hernia mesh is permanent, as it is needed to firmly cover the hole in the muscle lining. Using mesh helps ensure that there is not a recurrence of the hernia.
Sometimes patients can feel their mesh, but it does not cause any pain. This sensation is the result of closing the hole. Hernia patients are used to experiencing a hole in that area, and so they may notice that mesh is present where the hernia used to be. Rarely, some patients experience pain where stitches have encircled a nerve. Usually this resolves spontaneously as the stitches dissolve. Occasionally a stitch or the mesh needs to be removed, but this is unusual.
What is the Best Type of Hernia Surgery?
There is no one size fits all when it comes to surgery. When possible, Swedish Hospital prioritizes minimally invasive surgery due to its many benefits; however, some patients are not candidates for this type of surgery, and that’s ok too.
Whether you are in need of a simple, minimally invasive stitch for a minor hernia or a hernia mesh via an open surgery, rest assured that your surgeon will provide the best option for you and your specific circumstance.
How Long Does Hernia Surgery Take?
The length of your hernia surgery is dependent upon the extent of the repair and the type of surgery that is best for you. Hernia surgery can take anywhere from minutes to hours depending on the size and site of the hernia, prior surgeries and other patient factors.
If you are in need of a longer procedure, there is no need to worry. Sometimes, a longer minimally invasive surgery is a better solution than a shorter open repair. A minimally invasive longer procedure can be less painful and reduce potential complications.
What Does Recovery After Hernia Surgery Look Like?
The extent of your recovery is dependent upon factors such as the type of hernia, the surgical approach and your unique characteristics.
In all cases, it is advised that you take it easy for at least a few weeks after surgery by limiting activities and following lifting restrictions. Most people feel tired and sore, which is a natural reaction. Take time to rest and recover according to what your body is telling you.
Some pain is to be expected, and it is advised that you do your best to manage pain without narcotics. We will help provide you with non-narcotic pain control techniques and advanced pain blocks to help you achieve this when possible.
Contact Us
For more information and to schedule an appointment with a surgeon, please call
773-293-8878.
