Kareem Abdelfattah, M.D. Answers Questions On: Hernia Surgery

Absolutely, and we determine our approach on a case-by-case basis. As far as recovery goes, it can be really individualized. But we tell almost everybody to keep their activities “light duty” for six weeks after any hernia repair because we are looking for the repairs not to fail.

More often than not, they tend to not come back—the repair is the end of that disease process. A small percentage of people are at risk of a hernia returning, but that depends on the risk factors those patients have preoperatively, such as obesity.

A lot of people do show up in the ER with a hernia that they’ve had for a period of time, but it doesn’t necessarily require emergency intervention.

An emergency would be if you are vomiting, having excessive pain, or you can’t get the hernia to go back in like you have in the past. Anything short of that doesn’t necessarily require an ER visit. You can come to see us in the clinic, and we’ll take care of you.