If you have a hernia, you may be wondering about your treatment options and how to ensure a successful, safe surgery with the least recovery time possible. At Northeast Georgia Medical Center, our hernia surgeons use minimally invasive techniques, such as robotic or laparoscopic surgery to repair hernias. Our surgeons are some of the most experienced robotic surgeons in the region, exceeding national standards for hernia repair.
Hernia repair options at NGMC
Robotic hernia repair
During robotic surgical hernia repair, your surgeon will perform the hernia repair through a series of small incisions. Your doctor will insert a laparoscope into the affected area to see inside the body, and the abdomen will be inflated. The images from the laparoscope will be projected onto a television screen.
Once your surgeon has accessed the affected area, he or she will sit at a computer console in the operating room and will handle the robotic surgical instruments from the console. The robot can provide 3D images inside the abdomen, compared to 2D images from laparoscopic surgery. The robot helps the surgeon easily stitch and sew tissue and mesh into the abdomen wall.
Laparoscopic hernia repair
Laparoscopic hernia repair is a minimally invasive procedure where your surgeon will make a series of small cuts in the lower abdomen to access the bulging intestine. A laparoscope with a camera on the end will be inserted into one of the incisions, and the abdomen will be pumped with carbon dioxide to open space for the team to see inside the body. Your surgeon will cut the inner lining of the abdomen to access the affected area of the abdominal wall. A medical mesh is implanted around the weakened abdominal wall to cover the area and strengthen the tissue.
Open surgical repair
During open hernia repair, an incision is made in the groin to find the bulging intestine. Your surgeon will move the hernia back into the abdomen.
What hernia repair surgery is best for me?
NGMC’s hernia repair surgeons are experienced and highly skilled in open, laparoscopic and robotic hernia repair. They will evaluate your case to determine which option is best for you. We have been recognized nationally as both a Hernia and Robotic Center of Excellence by the Surgical Review Corporation. This means you can trust that our hernia surgeons have the highest level of technical skill and provide quality care.
Who is a candidate for robotic hernia surgery?
The most appropriate candidates for robotic hernia repair surgery are people who develop groin, incisional, umbilical or Hiatal hernias.
- Groin hernia: A groin hernia is a bulge from a weakened muscle in the abdomen. A groin hernia is more common in men than in women.
- Incisional hernia: An incisional hernia is a hernia that forms around a prior surgical incision in the abdomen.
- Umbilical hernia: An umbilical hernia is a weakness that develops in the abdominal muscles in the belly button. This type of hernia generally occurs in babies.
Request an appointment
To request an appointment, please call our scheduling coordinator at 770-219-4040 or use the contact form on this page.
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