Inguinal Hernia Repair

Laparoscopic Surgical Repair

Laparoscopy is a means of vision. The operation is performed in the same way as the open approach, but instead uses smaller incisions.

Rather than making a large incision and looking directly into the tissues or abdomen, we make small incisions of 5 to 12 millimeters (about 1/5 to 1/2 inch) and use a telescope to see inside them. Three incisions are used for an inguinal hernia repair: two are 5 mm in length and one is 12 mm in length. The scope is attached to a camera that allows us operate while watching on a television screen.

We either look directly into the tissues and create a space to do the hernia repair (the total extraperitoneal approach), or, more commonly, look into the abdomen and work on the hernia repair from that view (the transabdominal laparoscopic approach). Since there appears to be no clinical differences between these two laparoscopic methods, the method used depends principally on the surgeon‘s preference.

Once the hernia is identified, we divide the tissue in order to reach strong, healthy tissue. We then place a large piece of nylon mesh over it and staple it to the strong tissue.

Common questions

How long does a laparoscopic hernia repair take to perform?
Usually the operation takes from 30 minutes to one hour. The biggest determinate of operative time is the size of the hernia. These operations are almost always performed under general anesthesia.
Do I go home the same day after laparoscopic hernia surgery?
Yes. Just like in the open approach, patients are discharged a few hours after the operation if they are ready.

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