Question and Answers related to Hernia by Dr. Nitish Jhawar

Dr. Nitish Jhawar is answering questions related to Hernia in Times of India

1Q. I am a 25 yr old sportsman. I noticed a lump in my groin 3 days ago. My family physician diagnosed it as a hernia & advised surgical opinion want to know what a Hernia is?

A. Hernia is a protrusion of contents of the abdomen through a weakness or tear in its muscles forming a lump underneath the skin. Mostly it is seen in the groin but it may be present on the abdominal wall above, at or below umbilicus & at the site of surgical scars.

2Q. Is surgery a must for a Hernia? and what are the options which I can choose from?

A. Depending on the type & location of Hernia, your surgeon will decide the type of repair. On a broader spectrum, we can understand that Hernias can be repaired by the open surgical method or by Minimal access surgery (keyhole surgery).Modern surgical practices use reinforcement in the form of polypropylene meshes. In our hospital we prefer, to perform minimal access or laparoscopic surgery for all our patients if they are fit to tolerate general anaesthesia.

3Q. How long will it take to recover after Hernia surgery?

A. Depending on the type of repair, the period varies from3-5 days. In laparoscopic surgery, it is much faster and in open cases it may take little longer.

4Q. When can I return to work after surgery?

A. If you have a desk job, 3-5 days is the time frame we are looking at. But if your job demands heavy physical activity like lifting weight and all – you are away from work for 4 to 6 weeks.

5Q. I delivered my 2nd baby a year ago and noticed a lump on the side of previous surgery scar. The doctor suggested repair using a mesh. I am scared to have a foreign body inside what to do?

A. It is now a common practice to use meshes which are made of synthetic materials like polypropylene or polyester to reinforce the Hernia repair. A person who is having Hernia has an inherent defect in the cementing substance called collagen, mesh provides a lattice for body fibres to grow in between & render a stronger repair. As the meshes are biologically inert, they are harmless if left in the body for good.

A simple consultation with a specialist is enough to diagnose this particular problem, laparoscopic hernia repair by using a light weight or 3 D meshes make the surgery even more sophisticated and patient friendly.