Luke Elms, M.D.

Most inguinal hernias in children are fixed with a small incision over the groin and removing the sac from where it is extending out of the abdomen so the canal can close as they grow. Mesh is not typically used in children but individual cases can vary and I recommend consulting with your child’s surgeon regarding their recommendations.

The restrictions are dependent on the method of hernia repair and type of hernia. My recommended activity restrictions for patients vary between 2 weeks to 6 weeks based on the type of hernia and type of repair. After those time frames I recommend patients gradually return to all normal activities.
Consult with your individual surgeon for your specific recommendations.

Individual cases can vary widely so I recommend discussing the recommendations with your specific surgeon.

In my patients I recommend not lifting more than 20Lbs for 2 weeks and avoiding straining the abdominal wall during that time. I also recommend avoiding submerging incisions for at least 2 weeks though I use glue on the skin so people can shower the same day.

Not all surgeons perform the surgery in the same way and not every case is the same so it’s important to discuss your case and recommendations with your surgeon.

Unfortunately there is no way to shrink a hernia. Once the hole is there it can only be fixed surgically. Over time these can grow larger. It may appear larger or smaller based on how much of the abdominal contents are pushing through the hole. The risk of surgery and long term complications are lower if the hernia is repaired when it is smaller and less complex so I recommend most hernias be repaired before they become larger or become an emergency.
This is general information and your specific case should be reviewed with your surgeon to see how this information applies to your individual situation.

If there are no issues with the healing of the incisions, most incisions are pretty well healed after 2 weeks and I usually allow my patients to remove all restrictions on bathing and submerging the incisions at that time. I use glue on the skin so they can shower the same day.
Each case is different so make sure you discuss and follow the recommendations of your surgeon that knows your case.

Hiatal hernias require surgery if they are large or causing symptoms of complications that can’t be managed with medicine and lifestyle changes alone. Each hernia and patient is unique so it is important to review your case with your surgeon.

While each hernia is specific and may require a different approach based on the type of hernia and an individual patient’s characteristics, my preferred approach to fixing hernias is a minimally invasive approach because I’ve seen lower complication rates, faster recovery and better outcomes. I utilize a robotic minimally invasive approach whenever possible.
Consult with your specific surgeon regarding your specific needs.

My preferred approach based on the literature and my experience with my patients is a minimally invasive approach either laparoscopically or robotically. This allows for less pain after surgery, lower chance for complications from the wound, and a faster return to work. I do not recommend a non-mesh based repair because the chances of recurrence are much higher and hernias usually come back larger and more complex if they come back.

This is a general answer and may not apply directly to you. It is important to consult with your surgeon to get an answer specific to your specific situation.

Usually it is ok as soon as you are awake enough to drink without choking. The nurses in the recovery room are good judges of when it is ok. Sometimes there are surgeries that require you to not be able to take any food or liquid by mouth but most surgeries allow drinking as soon as it is safe in the recovery room.
This is a general answer and may not apply directly to you. It is important to consult with your surgeon to get an answer specific to your specific situation.

Stomach ulcers are generally treated with medications but may require an endoscopy for diagnosis. It is very rare these days to need surgery for ulcers and that is usually only when they are perforated, fail treatment with medications alone, or there is concern for a cancer which is rare compared to normal ulcers.

This is a general answer and may not apply directly to you. It is important to consult with your surgeon to get an answer specific to your specific situation.

In general I recommend most inguinal hernias be fixed. Inguinal hernias never go away without surgery and can get larger over time. If they start causing pain it can increase the risk of chronic pain after surgery. However, the main reason we fix hernias is to remove the risk of things like bowel getting stuck in the hernia that can lead to life threatening emergencies in some situations.

This is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.

It is very dependent on the extensiveness of the surgery, certain individual factors and the types of pain medications and procedures used around the time of surgery. In my practice I prescribe multiple non-opioid medications to provide baseline pain control and have a nerve block performed at the time of surgery that helps alleviate pain for the first few days after surgery. I then prescribe a low dose opioid for pain that is still uncontrolled by the baseline medications. This helps lower some of the side effects of the opioids like constipation and nausea and vomiting that some patients can experience that can make their recovery much less comfortable. If a laparoscopic or robotic approach is used I will ask that patients not lift more than 20lbs and avoid straining for 2 weeks prior to a gradual return to normal activities as tolerated after 2 weeks.

This is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.

The recovery is very specific to each individual and the reason the surgery was performed. In general, I tell most patients that with a multimodal pain management plan you will experience expected post-operative pain that is controlled with medications and will gradually improve to only mild discomfort with certain movements of the course of 1-2 weeks. I keep my patients with weight lifting restrictions of no more than 20lbs for 2 weeks after surgery.

his is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.

Typically we only prescribe antibiotics that we give right before the surgery starts and no more antibiotics are needed.

This is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.

Unfortunately hernias don't go away without surgery. Some hernias can be watched but one of the main risks of hernias is something getting stuck in them that can cause a surgical emergency. Due to this risk we usually recommend hernias be fixed with surgery unless there are specific individual factors that make it too risky to undergo surgery.

This is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.

It depends on the type of repair that is performed. If an open repair is performed then I have my patients only walk for exercise for the first 6 weeks. For this reason, I perform robotic hernia repairs and that approach only requires 2 weeks out of the gym then gradually move back to normal workouts as you body allows.

This is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.

It is very dependent on the size and location of the hernia as well as the type of surgery (open vs minimally invasive). As a general rule I would quote between 1-2 hours for a hernia surgery back in the operating room and that includes going to sleep and waking up after the surgery is performed. It is important to understand that the length of time can vary based on multiple factors.

This is a general answer and may not directly apply to your. It is important to consult with your surgeon regarding your specific situation.