Hernia Repair Surgery

A hernia can be painful or put you at risk for complications if not repaired with surgery.

At Adventist Health, you receive services from general surgeons who deliver the highest level of care. We successfully treat complex hernias, including ones that come back. We provide attentive care that helps more patients get relief.

What is a hernia?

A hernia occurs when there’s a tear in the abdominal wall. The tear allows intestines or other tissue to push through. Some hernias cause no symptoms. Others can be quite painful or prevent you from passing gas or stool.

Expert hernia repair

Adventist Health is home to nationally recognized surgeons who use the latest hernia repair techniques. Our expertise helps us safely treat people who have been told they can’t have surgery.

We always deliver appropriate, personalized care. We perform a comprehensive evaluation and determine whether hernia surgery is right for you. When surgery is necessary, we use techniques that are gentle on your body and promote a quick recovery.

Minimally invasive hernia repair surgery

Our general surgeons use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. This includes smaller incisions and sophisticated instruments, so there’s less discomfort as you recover.

Treatment may include:

• Laparoscopic surgery: This technique uses tiny instruments and a camera to access and surgically repair the hernia. Traditional laparoscopy requires several small incisions. Some of our surgeons use advanced technology enabling surgery through a single incision.
• Robotic surgery: Surgeons use robotic surgical technology to assist in maneuvering instruments.

What to expect from hernia repair surgery

Hernia repair surgery often includes:

• Gently setting the organ or tissue back where it belongs
• Using surgical mesh to hold it in place, when necessary
• Closing the abnormal opening

Before surgery, we provide all the information you need, so your experience is less stressful. The team explains the type of procedure you need and how it works in ways that are easy to understand.

Find out more by reading our general surgery patient resources.

Types of hernia we treat

We treat all hernia types, including:

• Epigastric occurs between the belly button and bottom of the rib cage
• Femoral, a less common type, occurs in the inner thigh
• Hiatal, when the stomach pushes through a weak spot in the diaphragm
• Incisional, when intestinal tissue pushes through an incision that’s not healing properly
• Inguinal, the most common type, occurs in the groin
• Umbilical, occurs within the belly button