A hernia occurs when there is a defect in the abdominal wall, which can be present at birth or be acquired during life, due to exposure to activities which increase the pressure inside the abdomen, such as heavy labor or childbirth. When there is a hernia, the contents of the abdomen bulge out through the defect, and can be seen as a lump that appears under the skin when the pressure in the abdomen is increased. A hernia often disappears again upon relaxation of the abdomen. A hernia can be painful, but can also lead to further complications, depending on which abdominal organs are bulging out on pressure. If they get trapped, and cannot return into the abdomen spontaneously, these organs can be in danger and require urgent surgery.
For this reason, whenever a hernia is diagnosed, it is almost always advised to have the defect repaired. The most well-known among hernias is the groin hernia or inguinal hernia. Although laparoscopic operations exist for the repair of inguinal hernias, they are mostly reserved for recurrences - which generally are rare due to the repair of the hernias by use of a mesh that is implanted to cover the defect. In Oasis Hospital, groin hernias are usually repaired by the Lichtenstein procedure, which involves a small cut in the groin, after which a piece of mesh is implanted and fixed to cover the defect. This surgery is often performed as an outpatient procedure, not requiring an overnight stay in the hospital. Some restrictions of physical activity are necessary during recovery.
Some hernias occur in the abdominal wall after previous abdominal surgery at the location of the scar, and are called incisional hernias. These are preferably repaired laparoscopically, in which case a mesh is attached on the inside of the abdominal wall, without reopening the scar. This method provides an effective repair of the hernia, with a low rate of reoccurrence, especially when compared with the open repair of this type of hernias. In most cases, the patient will be kept for one night after this type of surgery. In some cases, ventral hernias are better repaired by open surgery, which is up to the expertise of the surgeon to decide and discuss with the patient.
