Hernia Surgery Covered by Insurance

What Happens While Hernia Treatment?

Diagnosis 

Before opting for treatment, the doctor will physically examine the protruding area. For an accurate diagnosis, the patient might be asked to stand, strain or cough. For further diagnosis and to identify the safest technique for repair, the doctor might prescribe imaging tests such as an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI.

Based on the test results, the doctor will determine the most suitable method and proceed with the treatment.

Procedure 

The steps involved in the treatment are-

• The patient is given general anesthesia so that the patient does not feel any sort of pain or discomfort during the surgery.
• Depending upon the severity of the given condition, small incisions are made around the affected area, which helps the surgeon to push back the hernia inside.
• Through one of the incisions, the surgeon inserts a laparoscope which is a medical device having an inbuilt camera that enables them to view the internal structures.
• A surgical mesh is inserted through the incision, which supports the damaged tissue around the hernia as it heals.
• After placing the mesh over the perforation, the surgeon uses additional medical devices such as tacks, sutures, and surgical glue to hold the surgical mesh in its place.
• The small incisions are then closed with stitches or sutures that dissolve on their own over time.

Difference between types of Hernia Treatment:

1: Open Hernia Repair Treatment

This is the conventional and commonly performed hernia repair surgery around the globe. In open surgery for hernia repair, the surgeon makes a cut or incision in the groin, after which the hernia “sac” containing the bulging intestine is identified. The surgeon then pushes the hernia back into the abdomen and closes the abdominal wall with stitches. In case the opening is large, the surgeon may use a synthetic mesh to strengthen the closure through which the hernia protrudes.

2: Laparoscopic Hernia Repair Treatment

This is comparatively a much-advanced procedure for inguinal Hernia Treatment. Laparoscopic hernia repair surgery, also known as minimally invasive surgery, refers to the surgical procedure that is performed through tiny incisions instead of a large opening. The surgeon will make minute incisions depending upon the severity of the hernia, through which a thin laparoscope with a camera attached to it is inserted, and the abdomen is inflated with a harmless gas (CO2), which creates space for the surgeon to view the internal structures. The surgeon in this procedure might use a synthetic mesh to strengthen the abdominal wall. After the procedure is completed, the small abdominal incisions are closed, and within a month, the incisions are barely visible. Doctors don’t advise this procedure of hernia repair for children and pregnant women.

3: Robotic Hernia Repair Surgery

Robotic Hernia Repair treatment is very similar to that of laparoscopic hernia repair treatment as it uses a laparoscope that guides the surgeon to view inside the abdomen and repair the hernia. This type of treatment only differs from laparoscopic treatment to the extent that, in this type of treatment, the surgeon is seated at a console in the operating room and handles the surgical instruments from the console in the operation theatre. The use of the robot provides excellent three-dimensional images of the inside of the abdomen, and it allows the surgeon to use minimal stitches and place the artificial mesh to reconstruct the abdominal wall.