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Inguinal hernia surgery in Tijuana
Repair of the groin hernia with mesh, by open or laparoscopic route. It is the commonest elective operation in general surgery, and it does not heal on its own or with a truss.
What an inguinal hernia is, and why it does not heal on its own
An inguinal hernia is the protrusion of abdominal contents — fat, omentum or a loop of bowel — through a weak point in the wall of the groin. It shows as a lump that appears on straining, coughing or standing, and usually disappears on lying down.
That defect is mechanical: it is a hole in a layer of tissue. No medication, exercise or truss will close it. Trusses and belts only contain the lump while worn, and over time can encourage adhesions that complicate later repair. The only definitive solution is surgical.
With or without mesh, open or laparoscopic
Modern repair uses a synthetic mesh that reinforces the wall and distributes tension. Non-mesh techniques, suturing tissue to tissue, carry clearly higher recurrence rates and are today reserved for very specific situations, such as a contaminated field.
The open route, through an incision of about five centimetres over the groin, remains an excellent option — especially for primary unilateral hernias — and can be done under regional anaesthesia. The laparoscopic route offers clear advantages in bilateral hernias, in recurrent hernias previously repaired openly, and in patients who need to return quickly to physical activity. The choice is made in clinic, with the actual case on the table.
When it stops being elective and becomes an emergency
A hernia that can be pushed back by hand is reducible and is operated on as a planned procedure. When the contents become trapped and can no longer be reduced, the hernia is incarcerated. And when the blood supply of the trapped loop is compromised, it is strangulated: that is a surgical emergency measured in hours.
The signs are clear and worth knowing: THE LUMP TURNS HARD AND CANNOT BE PUSHED BACK IN, IT HURTS SEVERELY AND CONTINUOUSLY, THE SKIN TURNS RED, or nausea, vomiting and absence of gas and bowel movements appear. With any of these, go to an emergency department immediately without waiting for an appointment.
What the procedure involves
When it is indicated
- Symptomatic primary inguinal hernia, unilateral or bilateral
- Recurrent inguinal hernia after previous repair
- Femoral hernia, commoner in women and at higher risk of incarceration
- A hernia that is growing or causing pain with daily activity
- Incarcerated or strangulated hernia, as a surgical emergency
- Large inguinoscrotal hernia
Techniques and resources
- Polypropylene or composite mesh
- Fixation with suture, tackers or adhesive
- Laparoscopic tower for TAPP or TEP approach
- Regional or general anaesthesia as appropriate
- Abdominal wall analgesic block
Frequently asked questions about inguinal hernia surgery
It can be watched in very selected cases: small hernias, without symptoms, in patients at high surgical risk. But the bargain has to be understood: the hernia will not close, it will grow, and while it exists there is a risk of incarceration. Most patients who wait end up operated anyway — only larger, and sometimes as an emergency.
Current meshes are made of inert materials, and rejection in the immunological sense is exceptional. Mesh-related complications do exist — infection, chronic pain, contraction — which are uncommon and are explained in the informed consent before surgery.
With laparoscopic repair, light activity usually resumes in one to two weeks and loaded training at four weeks. With the open route the timelines are somewhat longer. The exact instruction is given at discharge, according to the technique used and the size of the defect.
Yes, and in bilateral hernias this is one of the best indications for the laparoscopic route: both groins are repaired through the same three incisions, without doubling the pain or the recovery time.
Bring your studies and settle the question
One consultation with your ultrasound or CT in hand is worth more than ten internet searches. Book by phone or through the form and you will be told what is there, what it means and what your options are.