Information for Patients: What are abdominal hernias?
Hundreds of thousands of Canadians undergo major abdominal surgeries each year. These operations are done for a variety of reasons, such as cancer, emergency surgery, traumatic injuries, and organ transplants.
As a result of these operations, many thousands of Canadians will develop incisional hernias every year. An incisional hernia occurs when tissue protrudes through an existing incision in your abdominal wall that has weakened over time.
Besides surgery, there are other conditions that can also increase one’s chances of developing a hernia. They include:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- Straining while lifting heavy objects or straining when going to the bathroom
- Pregnancy
- Medications such as steroids or immunosuppressants
Incisional hernias can be profoundly symptomatic and can negatively impact one’s physical and mental health. Incisional hernias can be large and unsightly, but can also severely impair physical function and activity, cause abdominal wall discomfort and dysfunction, and seriously erode one’s quality of life. Additionally, some incisional hernias can lead to serious complications such as bowel obstruction, incarceration or strangulation, and skin breakdown. Because of these reasons, most hernias eventually need to be repaired surgically to prevent serious problems.
There are many techniques to repair incisional hernias. Some incisional hernias, however, are so large or so challenging that they require specialized techniques to fix adequately. These include the use of muscle flaps for coverage of the abdomen, through a technique known as abdominal wall reconstruction. Our surgeons have extensive experience and utilize the latest techniques in performing abdominal wall reconstruction, including retrorectus repairs, transversus abdominis release, extended totally extraperitoneal repairs (eTEP). Our surgeons also study novel approaches and repair materials (biosynthetic mesh) that can help advance the field of hernia surgery and benefit patients.
In addition to advanced operative techniques, complex hernia surgeons understand that a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to abdominal core health that incorporates lifestyle modifications and physical fitness helps to improve overall outcomes.