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Sleep News Blog

Prescription Sleep Medicine

What is Hernia Surgery?

Posted by sleepyguy in Prescription Sleep Medicine on March 17th, 2010

A hernia is the protrusion or penetration of an organ through the wall of a cavity that normally contains it. Hernia is Latin for protrusion.

A hiatal hernia occurs when there is a protrusion upwards from the stomach into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm.

One of the most common herniae develops in the abdomen, when a weakness in the abdominal wall evolves into a “hole”, through which tissue or abdominal organs may protrude. An example is an inguinal hernia (see picture below).

Herniae shows itself through a visible lump. There may or may not be pain at the site.

There may be certain symptoms resulting from pressure on an organ which has become “lodged” in the hernia, sometimes leading to organ fungi. Fatty tissue may enter a hernia followed by a kidney.

Surgery may be required to repair a hernia and in some cases, this must be done swiftly, especially if there is pain.

Treatment of hernia has advanced over the years. Hernia repair should usually be done swiftly in order to prevent complications such as organ dysfunction, gangrene or even death.

Most abdominal hernias can be surgically repaired and are not major. Recovery rarely requires long-term changes in lifestyle or long period of recuperation.

Uncomplicated hernias are usually repaired by “reducing” the herniated tissue and then fixing the weakness in the muscle tissue (surgery called herniorrhaphy). Modern surgery could involved insertion of a mesh to strengthen the tissue. Staples may be used to keep the mesh in place and these can be removed from the patient later when the wound has healed. Alternatively, some repairs are performed through laparoscopes.

In laparoscopic surgery, one or more small incisions are made for the camera and instruments to be inserted instead of the surgeon’s bare hands.

Patients can usually return to normal duties or school/work within a week or two, but physical activities may be limited for a longer period of time. Complications are rare, but infections, hernia recurrence etc are possible.