Hernias can affect anyone, at any age. These painful disorders result when tissue or an organ—an intestine, for example—extends through a weak spot in the muscle. Most often, the first symptom of a hernia is a small bulge in your abdomen or groin, easily spotted by a physician. A hernia may cause pain and discomfort. In order to prevent further complications and provide permanent resolution, hernia surgery is likely necessary.
There are several different kinds of hernia surgery. Your decision about the right treatment option hinges largely on what type of hernia you experience. Hernias occur most commonly in the groin—these are called inguinal hernias. Hernias can also occur in a previous surgical scar (incisional hernia), around the belly button (umbilical hernia), through the diaphragm (hiatal hernia) or along the upper abdomen (epigastric hernia). For all categories of the disorder, Bayou Surgical Specialists provides hernia surgery that involves excellent quality of care.
Our highly skilled team specializes in the treatment of umbilical hernias, which are most likely to affect infants but can appear throughout adulthood as well. Adult-onset umbilical hernias are the most likely to require surgical treatment in order to repair.
Bayou Surgical Specialists provides two kinds of hernia surgery—open and laparoscopic hernia repair. Open hernia surgery involves a groin incision, through which the surgeon returns a hernia to the abdomen. The surgery is completed upon reinforcement of the abdominal wall with stitches and often additional support in the form of a synthetic mesh.
In laparoscopic hernia surgery, several smaller incisions in the lower abdomen allow the surgeon to insert a laparoscope, which transmits a close-up image of the internal abdomen to a video monitor. Utilizing this magnified visual of a hernia and surrounding tissue, the surgeon can repair a hernia and reinforce the abdomen.
If you or your primary care physician suspects you have a hernia, make an appointment for an examination and to discuss your treatment options.