Any part of the abdominal wall can form a hernia, but the most common site is in the groin. Approximately 80% of all hernia repairs are for hernias in the groin. A hernia can also form at the site of previous surgery.
The most common types of Hernias are:
- Inguinal/Femoral Hernia is a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal inguinal hernias are the most common type of hernias.
- Umbilical Hernia is an outward bulging (protrusion) of the abdominal lining or part of the abdominal organ(s) through the area around the belly button.
- Incisional hernia occurs in an area if weakness caused by an incompletely healed surgical wound. Since median incisions in the abdomen are frequent for abdominal exploratory surgery, ventral incisional hernias are termed ventral hernias. These can be among the most frustrating and difficult hernias to treat.
Advantages of tension-free laparoscopic repair:
- Pressure from within the abdominal cavity helps to hold the mesh in place
- May result in less pain and shorter recovery time.
- Allows for visualization of undiagnosed hernias.
- May have advantages in repair of bilateral and recurrent hernia