Are you about to schedule ventral hernia surgery? Perhaps you’ve already scheduled your surgery and would like to prepare for the procedure and recovery. Upcoming surgical procedures can make you feel anxious. Knowing all the details about the hernia repair procedure and recovery may put your mind at ease.
If you are due for ventral hernia repair, here are some details about the surgical procedure and recovery period.
- What Is a Ventral Hernia?
- Preparing for Ventral Hernia Repair Surgery
- Before: Preparing for Your Hernia Surgery
- During: What to Expect
- After: What Happens Right After the Procedure?
- Recovery
What Is a Ventral Hernia?
A ventral hernia occurs when there is a hole or weak spot in your abdominal wall that causes an unsightly bulge. Straining your abdominal muscles can cause your intestine and other organs to push through this weak spot in your abdominal wall. Usually, the most obvious symptoms include pain, swelling, and discomfort, but not always. A ventral hernia becomes life-threatening when it cuts off blood circulation and causes severe tissue damage.
Preparing for Ventral Hernia Repair Surgery
Preparing for hernia repair surgery involves more than taking time off work for the surgical procedure. It also requires patients to prepare their bodies and make some adjustments to their activities. Since it is a surgical procedure that requires anesthesia, you should also plan your recovery period adequately.
At Orange County Robotic General Surgery, Dr. Abtin Khosravi and his team of medical professionals will assist you through the entire surgical process.
Before: Preparing for Your Hernia Surgery
It’s important to schedule an initial consultation to discuss whether you are a suitable candidate for hernia repair surgery. During this consultation, Dr. Khosravi performs a full physical examination and may also require some medical tests to ensure you are healthy enough for the procedure. Once Dr. Khosravi confirms that you qualify for surgical hernia repair, he’ll discuss the surgical options and recommend the best course of action.
Dr. Khosravi will also warn you of the risks of each surgical procedure and also explain the benefits of treating your ventral hernia. Once your surgery is confirmed, Dr. Khosravi will also provide instructions on how to prepare for your surgery. These instructions involve making changes to eating habits, medication, and substance use.
Below are some general guidelines to help hernia repair surgery patients prepare for their procedure.
Quit Smoking
Smoking can cause severe complications during and after your hernia surgery. You must quit smoking 4 to 6 weeks before your surgical procedure to lower your risk of complications.
Stop Taking Certain Medications
Some medications increase the risk of bleeding or blood clots and can cause complications for your surgery. Therefore, Dr. Khosravi requires individuals to stop taking aspirin, and blood thinners at least two weeks before their operation.
No Eating or Drinking Before Surgery
Avoid eating and drinking the night before surgery. The time you should stop eating depends on the time of your procedure. Dr. Khosravi will advise you accordingly. The goal is to keep your intestines empty and clean for a smooth surgical procedure. Dr. Khosravi may recommend a specialized cleansing solution the night before your surgery. If Dr. Khosravi permits you to take medication, you may take it with a small sip of water the morning of your surgery.
Arrange For Post-Surgery Help
Although ventral hernia repair is commonly an outpatient procedure, you’ll need someone to drive you home and assist you with everyday tasks, such as sitting down, getting up, and household management.
During: What to Expect From the Procedure
Once you arrive at the facility, a healthcare professional will insert a catheter to administer medication before, during, and after the procedure. For instance, you may need antibiotics before your hernia repair procedure begins.
After undergoing surgical prep, you’ll receive either local or general anesthesia. The effects of the anesthesia don’t wear off until a few hours after surgery. Once the anesthesia takes effect, the operation begins.
The surgical procedure depends on the type of ventral hernia repair you and Dr. Khosravi discussed. Here is what you can expect from each type of ventral hernia repair procedure:
Open Surgery
The traditional way of repairing a ventral hernia is with open surgery. During this procedure, Dr. Khosravi makes an incision along the vertical center of your abdomen. This incision goes through the skin, fat, and abdominal muscles. The incision allows Dr. Khosravi to push your intestine and abdominal tissue back into proper position. He also ensures that your organs do not protrude through the weak point in your abdominal muscles.
Once the gap in your abdominal muscles is clear of organs, Dr. Khosravi applies surgical mesh to prevent your ventral hernia from pushing through the abdominal hole again. After he repairs your hernia, he stitches up your incision and applies surgical glue before sending you to recovery.
Laparoscopic Surgery
Laparoscopic surgery is much less invasive than open surgery. Instead of a single long incision, Dr. Khosravi makes several much smaller incisions around the hernia. These incisions are no bigger than half an inch. Dr. Khosravi then inserts a thin tube with a camera at the end known as a laparoscope. With the laparoscope inserted in one incision, Dr. Khosravi repairs your hernia through another. As with open surgery, Dr. Khosravi either closes the gap or applies a surgical mesh through one of the incisions to reinforce the abdominal muscles to keep the contents in place.
Robotic Surgery
The robotic surgical procedure is similar to laparoscopic surgery, however, the procedure is much more precise and less invasive. Dr. Khosravi makes several small incisions and inserts a laparoscope into the surgical area to guide him through the procedure. However, instead of operating on you directly, Dr. Khosravi utilizes an advanced surgery system, known as the da Vinci Surgical System.
This advanced system provides a high-definition image of your anatomy and is more precise than the human hand. Dr. Khosravi will repair your hernia through small incisions and apply a surgical mesh with the help of this precise surgical system.
After: What Happens Right After the Procedure?
Ventral Hernia Repair Recovery
Your recovery depends on the type of surgical procedure you had. Open surgery is the most invasive procedure. Patients often need more time to recover from it than its less invasive counterparts: laparoscopic and robotic hernia repair. Both laparoscopic and robotic surgery patients experience less post-operative pain, healing impairments and discomfort.
Dr. Khosravi provides aftercare instructions for all patients. It is vital to follow Dr. Khosravi’s advice on how to take care of your wound and what foods and activities you should avoid. Failure to adhere to these instructions increases the risk of hernia recurrence. The success of ventral hernia repair depends on how well you recover. Heavy lifting and strenuous physical activity can put unnecessary pressure on your healing abdominal muscles and cause your hernia to redevelop.
Follow up care is necessary. Follow-up appointments take place 2-3 weeks after surgery. If you experience any post-operative complications before then, such as a fever, nausea, vomiting, an infection or severe or prolonged pain, contact Dr. Khosravi immediately.
At Orange County Robotic General Surgery, Dr. Khosravi offers expert ventral hernia repair in Orange County, CA. If you would like to start the process to treat your ventral hernia, contact us at (714) 541-4996 or request a consultation online.
Contact Us
To find out if inguinal hernia repair surgery is right for you, Contact Orange County General Robotic Surgery at (714) 706-1257 for a consultation with Dr. Abtin H. Khosravi.
