Hernia surgery what type of surgeon

This will make surgery and recover more difficult. Fortunately, hernia repair surgery is typically highly successful, and the possibility of a recurrence of is very low overall. If left untreated, a hernia can cause rare but serious complications, including a complication called strangulation. Strangulation can occur when a loop of the intestine or tissue becomes trapped inside the hernia and is cut off from your blood supply.

If you know you have a hernia and develop any of the following symptoms, seek immediate emergency care:. Your primary care provider can diagnose a hernia.

In most cases, your doctor will refer you to a general surgeon for a surgery evaluation. A general surgeon is trained to provide surgical care for most of the body, including the gastrointestinal track, the abdomen and its contents, breast, skin and soft tissue, and endocrine system. General surgeons are trained to make a diagnosis and offer preoperative, operative, and postoperative care for the patient. The full scope of what a general surgeon treats will vary depending on location.

Some general surgeons do a vast range of surgeries, while others choose to focus on certain specialties. Although they consider surgeon and patient anesthesia preferences, the type and size of the hernia could preclude some options.

For example, general anesthesia is required if the surgeon needs to use a scope during the surgery or if the hernia is particularly large. The physician anesthesiologist should ask you about your prior experience with anesthesia and about any anesthesia reactions among your family members, going back multiple generations if possible.

You should also be asked about your current health and your health history, including any chronic pain that could make it difficult for you to remain comfortable under sedation instead of general anesthesia. Let the physician anesthesiologist know if you use marijuana, CBD products, or other substances, as these can affect the type and amount of anesthesia you can safely receive.

You may also be advised to temporarily stop using CBD in the days leading up to and after surgery because of its potential to increase the risk of bleeding. Hernia surgeries typically do not cause a high level of postoperative pain, and most pain can be managed with medications such as acetaminophen Tylenol or other brands and ibuprofen Motrin, Advil, etc. These pain relievers can be supplemented with opioids, although this often is not necessary.

Limiting the use of opioids helps avoid negative side effects, including problems urinating after hernia surgery, which have been known to occur in a minority of patients after inguinal hernia repair.

Postoperative urinary retention occurs most often in people over age 50, especially males. Taking medications as directed prior to surgery, including medicines for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is caused by enlargement of the prostate, also helps prevent postoperative urinary retention.

Under medical direction, measures might also be taken before surgery to limit postoperative pain and nausea, such as taking acetaminophen for pain and a small dose of promethazine to prevent nausea. Consult your physician anesthesiologist about whether these are appropriate options for you.

Your surgeon will provide you with a specific plan but may not be able to give you an exact time frame in advance. Doctors usually cannot fully diagnose the severity of a hernia until they perform the surgery.

Hernia procedures are usually outpatient surgeries. In general, the sooner you can start moving afterward, the better. This movement helps prevent constipation and blood clots. The guidelines define chronic pain as bothersome moderate pain impacting daily activities for at least three months.

The guidelines also indicate that chronic pain is a higher risk for patients who are young or female, experience high preoperative or high early postoperative pain, have a recurrent hernia, or undergo open repair. Mesh can also cause or contribute to chronic pain. Studies indicate that the risk of chronic pain is less with laparoscopic repair than with open repair, but the type and size of the hernia sometimes preclude the laparoscopic option.

If you suffer from chronic pain, consult with a pain management specialist to consider options such as medication and nerve blocks. Inguinal and femoral hernias are the result of weakened muscles. Potential causes are often due to increased pressure to the abdomen. Straining while lifting a heavy object, during a bowel movement, or even chronic coughing and sneezing can potentially lead to these types of hernias. Umbilical hernias can occur from straining weakened muscles, but may also be the result of being overweight.

Hiatal hernias are usually due to age-related changes to the diaphragm, being born with an abnormally large hiatus, or as the result of experiencing trauma or injury in the upper abdomen. Statistically, males are much more likely to develop a hernia as are people of caucasian descent and those with a family history of hernias.

Although not all hernias require surgical intervention, those that often do — inguinal hernias, for example — can cause serious complications when left untreated. Fever, nausea, sudden and intense pain, redding or color changes of a hernia bulge, and the inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement may indicate a serious problem and require immediate attention.

There are several surgical techniques to repair a hernia, with the most common including:. When performing an open hernia repair surgery, your surgeon pushes the protruding bulge of tissue back into the abdomen through a large incision.

Sometimes the best procedure for you is the one with which your surgeon has the most experience and is most comfortable. Laparoscopic repair entails inserting special instruments through tiny incisions in the abdomen through which the surgeon is able to visualize and perform the procedure.

Laparoscopic repair uses mesh for reinforcement, so it has a lower recurrence rate. Plus, a smaller incision means less discomfort after surgery, little to no scarring, and a quicker return to normal activity. Many people return to work within a few days. While open hernia repair may be done under general, regional spinal , or even local anesthesia with sedation, laparoscopic hernia repair is always done under general anesthesia.

Your anesthesiologist is present throughout your surgery and monitors you continuously. It may be easier and more comfortable for you, too. A few days before surgery, your surgeon may order a pre-op exam consisting of blood tests, an EKG electrocardiogram , and a chest X-ray to be sure your heart and lungs are in good condition. You may be instructed to stop taking some over-the-counter medications for a week to 10 days before surgery, such as aspirin or ibuprofen Advil , which can increase bleeding.

Make sure your surgeon knows all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take, including natural or nutritional supplements.