Whats involved in the traditional treatments for hernias repair?
Inguinal hernias have been repaired by surgeons for over 100 years. The traditional approach involves an incision in the groin, which is called an anterior approach (frontal approach), and there are a variety of open repairs. Today, most surgeons perform tension-free hernioplasty. Lichtenstein repair involves the attachment of a synthetic polypropylene mesh to the muscles and ligaments around the hernia sites in the groin. Other open repairs that involve suturing the hernia, rather than using mesh, include the McVay repair, the Shouldice repair, and the Bassini repair. Open inguinal hernia repair is a more invasive procedure with a higher potential for nerve damage than laparoscopic hernia repair, and it is feasible, through very small incisions, to achieve a tension-free laparoscopic hernia repair comparable to the standard open tension-free Lichtenstein repair.
