Inguinal Hernia - Laparoscopic Repair

Up to a few years ago, the surgical repair of a groin hernia was achieved through a groin incision. However, today this is performed laparoscopically. Laparoscopic reconstruction of a groin hernia has several advantages over the “open technique”.

1. It is associated with no or minimal postoperative discomfort, as opposed to the “open technique”, where, in addition to the much larger length of the incision, the surgeon and the surgeonʼs assistant both have to exert a lot of tension and pressure to the surrounding abdominal muscles in order to fix the hernia defect. This muscle tension and pressure is what actually causes postoperative pain. In the laparoscopic technique no tension whatsoever is applied upon the muscles.

2. Laparoscopic reconstruction leads to full resumption of all sorts of activities (work, exercise, etc) very early after the operation (i.e.: 10-14 days), as opposed to the “open technique”, where patients should stay away from physical activity for 2-3 months. After laparoscopic repair, patients go back to work in 2-3 days and start regular exercise in 2 weeks.

3. Laparoscopic reconstruction is associated with better long-term outcome because the mesh that is utilized to close the muscle defect of the hernia, is placed inside the opening and not outside. Because of this kind of placement, the mesh can hold much higher intra-abdominal pressure without “giving in”, as opposed to the outside placement, where the pressure may dislocate it from the muscle and a bulging may come back.

Laparoscopic hernia repair is an outpatient procedure (one-day-surgery). Patients go home the same day and resume their previous (or higher) level of activity very early.