Laparoscopic Hernia surgery – Is it the right treatment for hernia?

There might be many people who have been diagnosed with hernia. Many of them might have been referred by their doctors to undergo a surgical operation before they actually start experiencing the serious problems that may arise if their hernia is left untreated. In the United States alone, approximately six million people undergo hernia surgery every year. Most of these surgeries are preformed using ‘open’ approach that provides access to hernia problem through a small skin incision.  In the current scenario, an increasing number of people suffering from hernia are undergoing Laparoscopic Hernia surgery. It is an invasive surgical procedure which offers several benefits for most of the patients.

In this type of surgery, 3 incisions measuring ½ to 1 cm are done in the abdomen. A long thin camera known as laparoscope is inserted through a tubing in one of the incisions while two surgical instruments are inserted through the other two incisions. The laparoscope provides an inside view of the hernia that is displayed on a video screen. The hernia is then operated using a piece of surgical web.

As compared to traditional ‘open’ approach, the laparoscopic surgery ensures faster recovery, and most patients experience negligible pain and can resume their workplace and can do normal activities within a short time. This surgical treatment is most beneficial for patients that have bilateral hernias, thereby allowing both sides to be operated at one time without even any requiring additional incisions, and virtually with no extra discomfort. Those suffering from recurrent hernia are also the right candidates for laparoscopic surgery as the ‘open surgeries’ for recurrent hernia are considered to stand at much higher risks of complexities such as recurrence of hernia, injury to blood vessels and nerve injury. The small incisions used in laparoscopic surgery also results in exclusive cosmetic results as compared to the open practice.

Nevertheless, laparoscopic hernia surgery is not appropriate for everyone. Those patients with a history of preceding prostrate surgery, abdominal surgery, or obesity may not be the right candidate for laparoscopic surgery as visualization might not be most favorable for these situations. In most rare circumstances, a laparoscopic surgery might not be possible and in such situation there is no other choice but to go for ‘open’ surgery.

Is there anyone who has been diagnosed with hernia and referred by their physician to undergo a Laparoscopic Hernia surgery? It is only through a detailed consultation and physical examination that a surgeon can determine whether laparoscopic surgery for hernia is right for their patients. There are several benefits as well as risks associated with each procedure, thus it is important to weigh them properly. There might be several patients who might not be aware of the possibility of shifting a laparoscopic surgery to an open one and vice versa. The decision to perform or shift to an open procedure depends on the final judgment of a surgeon, which may be either made before or during the actual surgery. When the surgeon feels that it is the safest and easiest way to treat hernia through a laparoscopic procedure, it does not indicate any complication, but rather sensible surgical judgment.