If you’re experiencing a hernia, it’s important to know about your treatment options. This guide explains the types of hernias and treatment options for patients who are considering hernia repair surgery. It’s important for patients to make an informed decision about their health with their doctor and surgeon.
A hernia happens when fatty tissue, intestine, or organ squeezes its way through a passage or a weak area surrounding the connective tissue or muscle. Hernias mostly common happen in the abdominal wall. A hernia can be as simple as a bulge, especially when caused by straining or bending over.
There are six types of hernias. The first type is an incisional hernia, which happens from an incision or scar left over in the abdominal area. The next type of hernia is an inguinal area, which commonly occurs in the inner groin area. A femoral hernia takes place in the outer groin or upper thigh area.
Meanwhile, a hiatal hernia takes place within the abdomen or alongside the diaphragm or upper stomach area. An umbilical hernia happens at the belly button while a ventral hernia takes place in the abdominal or ventral wall.
Hernias are usually caused by pressure or an opening of a weak area of connective tissue or muscle. This causes the organ to squeeze its way through the open passage or weak spot. Muscle weakness can take place at birth but occurs later in life. Anything can cause a hernia to happen, such as bending over, constipation or diarrhea, lifting heavy objects, obesity, or persistent coughing or sneezing. Other factors include a poor diet, overexertion, and smoking can also weaken the muscles and increase the cause of a hernia.
Hernias are more common than expected. Over one million hernia repairs conducted in the U.S. each year. At least 800,000 are used to repair inguinal hernias and the remainder for other types of hernias. One non-surgical treatment option includes close monitoring of patients who don’t have complications or symptoms with their hernias.
Surgical options include laparoscopic surgery or open repair surgery. Both of these treatment options can be performed without the use of a surgical mesh. Most surgeons require the use of a surgical mesh to repair the hernia and decrease the rate of reoccurrence. But there has been an increase in surgical mesh hernia repairs.
A surgical mesh is a medical device that’s used to repair the damaged or weakened tissue. Most surgical mesh devices are made out of animal tissue or synthetic materials. Those made from synthetic materials may contain absorbable, non-absorbable, or both absorbable and non-absorbable material.
Non-absorbable mesh means it’s a permanent implant. It’s to provide a permanent reinforcement of the hernia. Absorbable mesh degrades and loses its strength over time. It’s not used to provide long-term use to the repair site.
Surgical mesh devices made from animal tissue come from the intestines or skin of a pig or cow. This material has been disinfected and process to replace the look and feel of a surgical mesh. The majority of these surgical mesh devices are absorbable.
According to the FDA’s analysis of surgical mesh devices, the most common side effects for surgical mesh devices are bleeding, blockage of the large or small intestine, the fluid build-up of the surgical site, infection, hernia mesh mishap, scar-like tissue, pain, and more. The most common side effects following hernia repair surgery are adhesion, bowel obstruction, hernia recurrence, infection, and pain.
The most common complications stemmed to hernia repair with a surgical mesh that was reported to the FDA were associated with surgical mesh devices that are no longer being made. Adhesion, infection, obstruction, pain, and perforation are the most common problems associated with the recalled surgical mesh devices. The adverse effects of these products were bowel perforation and obstruction complications.