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A hiatal hernia occurs when a weak spot in the abdominal wall forces a part of the stomach to move upward into the chest. In some cases, it can cause symptoms of acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease. At times, this condition can be managed with medicines, but the only way to treat it permanently is through surgery.
Hiatal hernias can occur in people of all ages and genders, but they are most common in people over 50.
Generally, hiatal hernias fall into four categories, and type I, or sliding hernias, constitute the majority. In this type, a diaphragm opening allows a portion of the stomach to slide intermittently into the chest. A hiatal hernia of type II, III, and IV is called a paraesophageal hernia when a portion of the stomach extends into the chest adjacent to the esophagus.
In most cases, a hiatal hernia does not require surgical repair; surgery is usually reserved for patients with severe cases who have not responded well to other treatment options. The surgical procedure of repairing a hiatal hernia involves bringing the stomach back into the abdomen and reducing the size of the opening in the diaphragm. There may also be a need to reconstruct the esophageal sphincter or remove hernial sacs during this procedure.
Your doctor will likely recommend immediate surgery if the symptoms of hiatal hernia have started to affect your regular daily activities, the medications and other treatments are not working well, the hernia is at risk of strangulation (blood supply to the tissue can be cut off), and you are experiencing symptoms like bleeding.
There are three types of surgery for treating a hiatal hernia: Nissen fundoplication, open repair, and endoluminal repair.
It is a commonly used surgical procedure to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. During this surgery, the upper stomach sphincter is tightened and reinforced, preventing stomach acid from rising into the esophagus.
Just like a laparoscopy, a laparoscope (a microscopic camera attached to a thin tube) goes into the abdomen. The camera displays images of the internal body on the screen, which the surgeon uses to locate and treat the hernia. The laparoscopic method of repairing hiatal hernias has some benefits over other types, including less pain and scarring, less hospital time, and quicker recovery.
This is the oldest known method of repairing hernia.
Open hernia repairs are performed through an incision in the groin. Using the incision, the surgeon identifies the bulging hernia sac and pushes it back into the abdomen. In order to prevent the hernia from recurring, synthetic mesh and stitches are used to strengthen the defect in the muscular wall.
Recovery from an open repair surgery takes longer than from a laparoscopy.
Unlike traditional surgeries, this procedure does not require incisions. A flexible tool called an endoscope is passed down your throat and into your esophagus by the surgeon. The surgeon will then tighten the junction between the stomach and esophagus so that reflux does not occur. However, this treatment has some limitations, and some patients experience recurrences of hernias.
A couple of weeks before the surgery, your doctor will give you some instructions to prepare you for the surgery. This can involve losing excess weight, performing breathing exercises every day, quitting smoking, and avoiding certain medications till the operation is performed.
It is not usually necessary to follow a clear liquid diet after this surgery. Nevertheless, you shouldn't consume food or beverages for at least 12 hours prior to the procedure.
Once the surgery has been performed successfully, you can expect to stay in the hospital for one to two days. An examination of your swallowing system will take place the morning after your surgery to ensure everything is in order. In the following days, you'll be on a liquid diet.
There may be some tingling or burning near the incision site, but this will disappear after a few days. Several over-the-counter medicines, like ibuprofen (Motrin), are effective for treating it.
Hernia surgeries have the risk of infection and bleeding, but this risk is lower in laparoscopic surgery since that is a minimally invasive procedure.
The doctors will also recommend you bathe instead of showering after the surgery. If the incisions are covered with band-aid patches or white gauze, remove them before bathing. In some cases, the doctors might recommend you bathing with the steri-strips on your skin. In this situation, these little pieces of tape are safe to remove 7-10 days after the surgery.
Activity restrictions after surgery are minimal. As long as it doesn't hurt, you may walk, climb stairs or engage in other routine activities that are not as physically intense. It is important to listen to your body, so if doing any of the aforementioned things makes you uncomfortable, do not continue them and talk to your doctor.
It should take a few days for your heartburn and nausea symptoms to subside after the recovery period is over. You may still be advised to avoid acidic foods, carbonated beverages, or alcohol that may trigger GERD symptoms.
Laparoscopic hernia repair is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to fix a hernia. A hernia is an opening or weakness in the abdominal wall that can allow organs, such as the intestine, to push through.
During a laparoscopic hernia repair, the surgeon makes small incisions in the abdomen and inserts a tiny camera and surgical instruments into the body. The surgeon then fixes the hernia using sutures or mesh. This type of surgery typically results in less pain and faster recovery than traditional open surgery.
At Hernia Innovations, we specialize in laparoscopic hernia repair. It is the safest and most modern hernia treatment currently available.
Laparoscopic hernia repair is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to fix a hernia. A hernia is an opening or weakness in the abdominal wall that can allow organs, such as the intestine, to push through.
During a laparoscopic hernia repair, the surgeon makes small incisions in the abdomen and inserts a tiny camera and surgical instruments into the body. The surgeon then fixes the hernia using sutures or mesh. This type of surgery typically results in less pain and faster recovery than traditional open surgery.
At Hernia Innovations, we specialize in laparoscopic hernia repair. It is the safest and most modern hernia treatment currently available.
There are many different types of hernia, but the most common ones are inguinal, femoral, umbilical, and hiatal.
Inguinal hernias occur when part of the intestine bulges through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall. Femoral hernias occur when part of the intestine bulges through a weak spot in the upper thigh muscles. Umbilical hernias occur when part of the intestine protrudes through an opening in the abdominal muscles around the navel. Hiatal hernias occur when part of the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm and into the chest cavity.
There have been a number of technological advances in hernia treatment over the years. For example, traditional open surgery has been replaced with laparoscopic surgery, which is a less invasive procedure. In addition, mesh implants have been developed to better repair hernias. Overall, these advances have helped to improve the success rate of hernia treatment and reduce the risk of complications.
Generally speaking, a hernia will not go away on its own. If left untreated, a hernia may get worse and could eventually lead to more serious problems. Surgery is generally the recommended treatment for a hernia, though in some cases conservative treatments may be recommended. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about a hernia.
