What is a hernia?
A hernia is a protrusion of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening in the body. Most hernias occur when a piece of intestine slips though a weakness in the abdominal wall, creating a bulge you can see or feel.

How are they repaired?
Traditional inguinal hernia repair involves an incision in the groin area cutting through muscle layers over the hernia and reducing it back into the abdominal cavity. The weak spot in the muscle wall is reinforced with a patch of synthetic mesh sewn over the area.

Laparoscopic Hernia Repair

Laparoscopic or keyhole surgery using the TEP (totally extra-peritoneal) approach offers a means of repairing your hernia through 3 small incisions. The hernia is still repaired with mesh as in the open technique.

The TEP technique is performed under general anaesthetic and the majority of patients will be able to go home on the day of surgery and return to activity within a week or two.

Studies have found that there is less pain after a laparoscopic hernia repair than after open surgery. This is particularly true after bilateral hernia repairs as the same 3 incisions can be used to fix both sides.

- Download Laparoscopic Hernia Repair Information Sheet (Word format)

- Information Sheet as a printable web page