Dr. Kapil Agrawal is one of the top-rated and best hernia surgeon in Delhi. He is the founder of Habilite Clinics and is working as a Senior Consultant Surgeon at Apollo Group of Hospitals, New Delhi. He is well known for his ability to perform an entire range of hernia surgeries. At Habilite Clinics, he and his team offer customized solutions to all types of hernia and take all measures to prevent any recurrences. Dr. Kapil Agrawal is performing advanced laparoscopic surgeries at some of the best hospital for hernia surgery in Delhi.
What is Hernia?
A hernia is a slowly progressive condition where the internal organs protrude through a tear or opening in the muscles of the abdominal wall. Hernias are relatively common and affect about 1 in 20 people at some point during their lives. They are more common in men than women and are more likely to occur as people get older. Hernia usually starts as a small, painless swelling that appears on standing or straining and disappears on lying down (Reducible Hernia). As hernia progresses, the swelling starts increasing in size and can manifest as a permanent swelling (Irreducible Hernia).
Causes of Hernia
There are 5 causes of hernia that you should know :
- Family history: If your parents or grandparents had an inguinal hernia, you’re more likely to develop one as well.
- Age: The older you are, the greater your risk.
- Lifestyle: Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of developing an inguinal hernia. Even obesity can lead to higher chances of developing a hernia.
- Occupation: Certain jobs that involve heavy lifting or straining can put you at greater risk.
- Previous surgery: If you’ve had surgery in the area around your groin, you may be more likely to develop an inguinal hernia.
Types of Hernia
There are 5 types of hernia depending on the site :
- Inguinal hernia: Inguinal hernia is a type of groin hernia and it is the most common type of hernia. It is more common in males and occurs in the area near the testicles.
- Femoral hernia: Femoral hernia is another type of groin hernia and it is more common in females. It presents in the uppermost part of the thigh.
- Incisional hernia: Incisional hernia occurs at the site of a previous surgical incision and can happen at any part of the belly
- Hiatus hernia: It occurs when part of the stomach bulges through a hole in the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen).
- Epigastric and Umbilical Hernia: Umbilical Hernia occurs when part of the intestine bulges through a weakness in the abdominal wall near the navel (belly button) whereas Epigastric hernia is located in between the umbilicus and the chest bone.
Best Treatment for Hernia
Hernia can present as simple to very complex hernia depending upon the site, size, and cause of the hernia. However, their treatment can be broadly classified into two types:
- Open Surgery
- Laparoscopic Surgery
You must always consult a best hernia specialist in Delhi in order to decide the best treatment for hernia.
Best Treatment for Inguinal Hernia & Femoral Hernia
Open Surgery: This is the oldest and most conventional technique for repairing the inguinal hernia and femoral hernia. The hernia repair is done through a 5-6 cm incision in the groin area and a mesh is usually placed in order to strengthen the abdominal wall. The technique is performed at our center only for patients who are unfit to undergo laparoscopic surgery or on the demand of the patient.
Laparoscopic Surgery: This is the most advanced and best treatment for inguinal hernia and femoral hernia. However, there are several laparoscopic techniques for performing the repair. The expertise to perform all these techniques is essential in order to deliver the best treatment for hernia. Dr. Kapil Agrawal is one of the best Laparoscopic hernia surgeon in Delhi who can perform all these repairs.
The different laparoscopic approach for groin hernia includes:
- TEP Repair: One of the best and most preferred approaches for the best treatment of inguinal hernia and femoral hernia. However, it is most commonly indicated for reducible hernias which are small to moderate in size.
- TAPP Repair: This technique is performed for large complex inguinal and femoral hernia in which TEP repair is contraindicated. This technique is also useful in obese patients in whom TEP repair can become sometimes difficult.
- E- TEP Repair: This is the latest technique for the management of groin hernia and is the advanced form of TEP repair where the camera is placed in a manner to give a more detailed view of the operative field.
Best Treatment for Umbilical Hernia, Epigastric & Incisional Hernia
These hernias are different forms of abdominal hernias and are usually repaired in a similar fashion. Like groin hernias, these hernias are also repaired by different approaches. These hernias can present from simple to complex hernias.
These hernias can be repaired by:
Open Surgery: This is the most conventional technique which is usually performed in patients unfit for laparoscopic surgery. In this technique, an incision is placed over the hernia site and a mesh is placed over the defect for optimal repair.
Laparoscopic Surgery: The latest and most advanced form of surgery for the best treatment for umbilical hernia, epigastric hernia, and incisional hernia. There are different types of laparoscopic repair for the management of such a hernia. Depending upon the size and complexity of the hernia.
Types of repairs include:
- IPOM PLUS Repair: This type of repair is usually done in defects of size 2-5 cm. It involves laparoscopic closure of the defect and then placing a high-quality mesh in order to strengthen the abdominal wall.
- E- TEP Repair: Also known as the Laparoscopic Rives-Stoppa technique, it is a minimally invasive surgery used to treat hernias moderate in size. Although difficult to carry out, it is known to give excellent results by restoring the normal anatomy of the belly muscles and preventing the bowel from coming in contact with the mesh.
- E TEP TAR Repair: It is an extended version of the Rives-Stoppa technique which is done to deal with a hernia approximately 10 cm in size.
- AWR Technique: This is the latest technique to repair very complex types of abdominal hernias more than 10 cm in size or for large, recurrent hernias. If you are suffering from large complex hernia, always seek the opinion of best hernia surgeon in Delhi who can deliver the best results.
Prevention Strategies for Hernia
There are several things you can do to help prevent hernia
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for hernias.
- Exercise regularly. This will help keep your muscles strong and less likely to develop weak spots.
- Avoid heavy lifting. If you must lift something heavy, use proper technique and avoid straining your muscles.
- Wear supportive clothing. This includes belts or other support garments that hold your abdominal muscles in place.
People also ask:
- Question: What is 3D mesh and is it better for hernia repair?
- Answer: 3D Mesh or anatomical Mesh is a special type of mesh that sets according to the body contour. They are more costly than normal mesh but they might not give superior results as compared to normal mesh. The most important prerequisite for an excellent hernia repair is the expertise of the surgeon. A normal, high-quality mesh placed in an adequately dissected operative area will give far superior results than a 3-D mesh placed in a poorly dissected area.
- Question: What is composite mesh?
- Answer: These are specially designed meshes for laparoscopic repair of umbilical, epigastric, and incisional hernias through the IPOM technique. These meshes have a special film that gives additional protection to the bowel by preventing adhesions or erosions to the bowel. They are indeed very costly compared to normal mesh.
- Question: Which is the best mesh for hernia repair?
- Answer: As we had already discussed, it is not necessary that the costlier mesh will produce better results. Depending upon the site of the hernia, size of the hernia, and type of surgery each type of mesh has got its own indication. You must discuss with your surgeon in detail the different types of mesh and the reason to choose a particular type of mesh. Y
- Question: Which hospital is best for hernia surgery in Delhi?
- Answer: A good infrastructure is very important to yield the best results. If the operation theatre and instruments are not properly sterilized, it can result in infection of the mesh. It is a very difficult and cumbersome situation to deal with mesh infection. Dr. Kapil Agrawal, one of the best hernia surgeon in Delhi, takes great care to prevent any sort of infection and provide the patients a great and complication free experience.
