Hernias are quite common and millions of Americans simply live with them under a surgeon's care. If you notice a bulge in your abdomen or groin when you lift, stretch or cough, you may have a hernia, which is a bulge of tissue through the muscle wall. Dr. Jessica Barton, a general and minimally invasive surgeon at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, says you can be born with a hernia or develop one during heavy lifting. They can also be caused by obesity, pregnancy, or develop at a prior surgical site.
Dr. Barton says you may be able to live with a hernia, but it will not go away on its own. Surgery is the only way to repair a hernia. If you start feeling discomfort or pain, experience nausea or vomiting, it may be time for an operation. She says several factors go into determining which surgical procedure would be best. Those factors include the location of the hernia, its size, underlying medical conditions, if the patient is obese or a smoker.
She says an open surgery, which would have a longer incision, may be needed if the hernia is large. Minimally invasive laparoscopy or robotic surgeries are other common procedures. Dr. Barton prefers robotic surgery when possible, because it offers the physician better visibility, movement and precision. She adds that patients also benefit, with less pain and reliance on narcotic medications. It also allows a person to return to daily activities and work more quickly than ever before.