Popular guidelines / 22/06/2021

When should an incisional hernia be repaired?

If an incisional hernia occurs within the first few weeks after an abdominal operation, the hernia isn’t repaired immediately. This gives the abdominal wall time to recover. Incisional hernias are generally only repaired several months after the surgery that led to them was carried out.

What happens if you don’t fix an incisional hernia?

The most serious complications of incisional hernias are bowel obstruction and strangulation. A strangulated hernia can cause tissue death in your intestine. This condition may be life-threatening if you don’t get treatment right away. It’s also possible for hernias to rupture, but this is extremely rare.

Is repairing a hernia dangerous?

Potential complications of a hernia repair Complications of a hernia repair can be serious and include: Nerve damage, which can lead to tingling or numbness in the groin and upper thigh. Organ, blood vessel, or bowel damage. Pain lasting longer than three months.

Can a hernia be too big to repair?

For some patients, a hernia is a harmless bulge in their belly or groin that is either watched by their doctor or repaired surgically. But when an abdominal hernia gets too large, surgical repair gets much more difficult and likelier to cause complications.

Should I have my incisional hernia repair?

In most occurrences, only the abdominal lining protrudes, making incisional hernias less severe than other types. However, incisional hernias do not heal on their own and require surgical treatment to repair.

Can a incisional hernia rupture?

Spontaneous rupture of an abdominal hernia is very rare and usually occurs in incisional or recurrent groin hernia. The rupture of abdominal hernia demands emergency surgery, to prevent further obstruction, strangulation of bowel and to cover its contents.

Should I have my hernia repaired?

If your hernia does not bother you, most likely you can wait to have surgery. Your hernia may get worse, but it may not. Over time, hernias tend to get bigger as the muscle wall of the belly gets weaker and more tissue bulges through. In some cases small, painless hernias never need repair.

What is a large incisional hernia?

An incisional hernia happens when a weakness in the muscle of the abdomen allows the tissues of the abdomen to protrude through the muscle. The hernia appears as a bulge under the skin and can be painful or tender to the touch. The weakness in the muscle is caused by the incision made in a prior abdominal surgery.

Can incisional hernia be treated without surgery?

Is it dangerous to have an incisional hernia?

In some reports from other surgeons 50-60% of incisional repairs have failed within 2 years. Are incisional hernias dangerous? As with all hernias, if the hernia strangulates , i.e. the hernia contents (the intestine) get trapped and lose their blood supply, which is very dangerous.

Is it possible for a hernia to repair itself?

Hernias (in adult life) do not repair themselves. In fact, they normally only get worse. Every day you leave your hernia, it gets slightly bigger, you are a day older, and the tissue just a little less ‘co-operative’. All you are doing is putting off treatment and could be suffering symptoms while you do so.

What’s the success rate for repairing an incisional hernia?

Historically, and even today, the success rate for repairing them is quite poor with a high incidence of complications and failure. In some reports from other surgeons 50-60% of incisional repairs have failed within 2 years. Are incisional hernias dangerous?

Who are the best surgeons for incisional hernias?

At Mount Sinai, our expert surgeons are highly trained all facets of incisional hernia repair. Our team specializes in treating complex cases and recurring hernias, with the goal of providing you with relief from painful incisional hernia symptoms.

What is the risk of an incisional hernia?

What is an incisional hernia? All abdominal surgeries carry a 33 percent risk of a postoperative incisional hernia, and approximately 33 percent of people undergoing abdominal surgery will experience an incisional hernia.

Is it possible to heal an incisional hernia?

Wounds are able to heal better in people who don’t smoke and who manage medical conditions like diabetes properly, so this also lowers the risk of incisional hernias.

How often does an incisional hernia recur at Mount Sinai?

The majority of incisional hernias do not return after being repaired; however, a rate of recurrence can range from 5-20 percent in patients who had a previous repair. Mount Sinai surgeons offer the full spectrum of surgical treatments for incisional hernias, including minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic incisional hernia repair.