A hernia is a weakness or opening most often found in the abdominal area. It frequently causes discomfort. In some cases, a large or advanced hernia can compromise blood supply to the bowel, resulting in a surgical emergency. Hernia surgery usually involves applying a plastic screen or mesh to the weak area to reinforce and provide strength to that area.
Surgeon Qualifications
Before deciding on a surgeon, learn about his qualifications. Specifically, you want to know how many hernia-repair surgeries of your type the surgeon does per year, as well as the number of years he has been doing the surgery. Because hernias can return, ask the surgeon about his record for recurrent hernias. Last, ask the surgeon how often he experiences complications with his hernia repairs.
Surgery
Before surgery, it is important to understand your specific type of hernia. Will the repair be a regular open surgery or laparoscopic surgery? What are the risks, such as a blood clot or infection? Regarding infections, ask the surgeon about typical symptoms of an infection inside the repair area (such as a fever) or at the incision site (such as redness and leakage). Because anesthesia is a risk factor, ask about the kind of anesthetic you will get. If you are taking any medications, let the physician know about them to avoid interactions. You might be curious about how long the pre-op and post-op phases will last. Finally, you want to know what you need to do before surgery, such as washing with antibacterial soap and refraining from eating.
Recovery
Because there is a recovery period associated with hernia surgery, you want to know the specifics. Ask the doctor what you can expect as far as pain goes the day after surgery, as well as succeeding days. What medications will he prescribe, and what over-the-counter medications will he recommend? The hernia site will most likely be bruised, so ask the surgeon what the site should look like. As lifting is an important caution during recovery, find out how many pounds you are allowed to lift and when. Also ask how long you must wait before driving again. One of the most important things you need to know is how long you will be expected to be off of work.
