Open Herniorrhaphy

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• A herniorrhaphy is surgery to repair a hernia. A hernia is a bulge or lump that may be seen or felt under your skin. A hernia forms when your intestine (bowel) or other tissues push through weak muscles in your abdomen. A ventral hernia may be in any area of your abdomen, such as around your belly button. With an inguinal or femoral hernia, your hernia bulges down from your lower abdomen towards your groin. Your groin is the area where your abdomen and upper legs meet at your pelvis or hips. You may get a hernia on one or both sides of your groin. If part of your bowel is trapped inside the hernia, you may need a herniorrhaphy right away.
  
  
• Hernias can happen as you age and the muscles in your abdomen weaken. Extra body weight and pressure on the abdomen can also make your muscles weaker. You may have pressure in your abdomen from heavy lifting or long-lasting coughing or straining. During a herniorrhaphy, your caregiver may push your bowel back into your abdomen, or he may cut out your hernia. A herniorrhaphy can decrease abdominal pain, and the area may look and feel better.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

• You may be allergic to the anesthesia medicine and have trouble breathing. You may bleed more than expected during surgery. Your nerves, blood vessels, or organs may get damaged. You may get an infection or extra fluid in the area where your hernia was. If mesh was used during your surgery and it moves out of place, you may need to have surgery again. You may have lasting pain or numbness in the area where your hernia was. If you are male, your testicles (glands that hold sperm) may swell or become infected.
  
  
• You may get a blood clot in your leg. This can cause pain and swelling, and it can stop blood from flowing where it needs to go in your body. The blood clot may break loose and travel to your lungs or brain. A blood clot in your lungs can cause chest pain and trouble breathing. A blood clot in your brain can cause a stroke. These problems can be life-threatening.
  
  
• With or without surgery, you may get another hernia. If you do not have a herniorrhaphy, your pain may increase. Your hernia may burst and cause an infection in your abdomen. Parts of your bowel or other body tissues may get trapped inside the hernia. If your bowel is trapped, you may get an infection. A burst hernia, trapped bowel, or abdominal infection can be life-threatening. Call your caregiver if you have questions or concerns about your herniorrhaphy, condition, or care.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Before your surgery:

• Informed consent is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.
  
  
• An IV (intravenous) is a small tube placed in your vein that is used to give you medicine or liquids.
  
  
• Pre-op care: You are taken to the surgery room. Your caregiver may put marks on your abdomen to show where the incisions (cuts) will go.
  
  
• Antibiotics: Your caregiver may give you antibiotic medicine before your surgery to help prevent infection. Your caregiver also may put this medicine into your incisions during surgery.
  
  
• Anesthesia: This medicine is given to make you comfortable. You may not feel discomfort, pressure, or pain. An adult will need to drive you home and should stay with you for 24 hours. Ask your caregiver if you can drive or use machinery within 24 hours. Also ask if and when you can drink alcohol or use over-the-counter medicine. You may not want to make important decisions until 24 hours have passed.
  
  
  • General anesthesia: Caregivers use this medicine to keep you asleep and free from pain during surgery. They give you anesthesia through your IV or as a gas. You may breathe in the gas through a mask or through a breathing tube placed down your throat. The tube may cause you to have a sore throat when you wake up.
    
    
  • Local or monitored anesthesia: Anesthesia is medicine that keeps you from feeling pain during surgery or a procedure. Local anesthesia is a shot of numbing medicine put into the skin where you will have surgery. You will be fully awake during the surgery or procedure. You may feel pressure or pushing, but you will not feel pain. Monitored anesthesia means you will also be given medicine through an IV. This medicine keeps you comfortable, relaxed, and drowsy during the surgery or procedure.
    
    
  • Regional anesthesia: Medicine is injected to numb the body area where the surgery or procedure will be done. You will remain awake during the surgery or procedure.

During your surgery:

• A cut is made in the skin beside your hernia. Your tissues and muscles are spread to show your hernia. Your caregiver ties off the base (bottom) of the hernia. This separates the hernia from nearby organs and tissues. If you are male and have a groin hernia, your hernia is cut away from your spermatic cord. The spermatic cord holds your testicles (the glands that hold sperm) in place.
  
  
• Bulging tissues and extra fat are removed from the hernia. If your hernia contains part of an organ, such as intestine, the organ is pushed back into place. The hernia is cut out. Your caregiver may use stitches to tighten tissues and muscles in your abdomen. He may cover weak muscles with mesh (a natural or man-made material) to help keep your tissues and organs in place. Your caregiver may place drains in the surgery area to drain out extra fluid. Caregivers close the cut with stitches, and cover the wound with bandages.

After your surgery:

You are taken to a room to rest. Do not get out of bed until caregivers say it is okay. When caregivers see that you are okay, you may be able to go home. If you are staying in the hospital, you will be taken to your room. Caregivers may help you start walking soon after surgery.

• Drains: These are thin rubber tubes put into your skin to drain fluid from around your incision. The drains are taken out when the incision stops draining.
  
  
• Pain medicine: Caregivers may give you medicine to take away or decrease your pain.
  
  
  • Do not wait until the pain is severe to ask for your medicine. Tell caregivers if your pain does not decrease. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it.
    
    
  • Pain medicine can make you dizzy or sleepy. Prevent falls by calling a caregiver when you want to get out of bed or if you need help.
  
  
• Antinausea medicine: This medicine may be given to calm your stomach and to help prevent vomiting.

Learn more about Open Herniorrhaphy (Inpatient Care)