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Hernia

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What is a Hernia?

A hernia is when part of an organ goes through an opening in the muscle wall around it. It can cause pain and pressure, especially when coughing or straining, as well as a visible bulge in the skin. The pain may feel like a burning or aching sensation.

Types of Hernias

Inguinal hernia – the most common type, when part of your intestine pushes through the abdominal wall in the groin
Hiatal hernia – when an abdominal organ bulges through a wall of the abdominal cavity in the upper stomach
Lung hernia – a lung pushes through a tear in the chest wall, neck passageway or diaphragm
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia – a serious birth defect that causes an opening in a baby’s diaphragm

What Causes a Hernia?

Hernias can be caused by an injury, surgery, or a condition at birth. They can also occur as abdominal muscles weaken due to age or stress.

UR Medicine's Treatments for Hernia

If you think you may have a hernia, it is important to visit your primary care provider for a diagnosis and treatment plan. If the hernia begins to cause excruciating pain, changes color, or you experience fever, nausea, and vomiting, go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible.

Most hernias will require surgery to repair them. UR Medicine uses the newest developments in minimally invasive surgery techniques, such as laparoscopic surgery, for routine hernia repair.

What Does "Laparoscopic" Surgery Mean?

Laparoscopy is a type of minimally invasive surgery. This means that the surgeons use smaller incisions to perform the procedure, so the patient will have a shorter hospital stay, smaller scars, less need for pain medication, and a faster recovery.

It means more days with your family, and less in the hospital. It means getting back to work, to your hobbies, to your life.

What Sets Us Apart?

Our surgeons are leaders in their field, offering patients the newest technological advances in surgery, including the latest minimally invasive daVinci® Surgical Systems. This leading-edge technology enhances your surgeon’s precision, dexterity, and control while requiring only one- to two-centimeter incisions, meaning a faster recovery and return to daily activities.

UR Medicine’s vast general surgical team extends to our hospitals in the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region. This gold-standard robotic-assisted surgical system is available across UR Medicine hospitals, including St. James Hospital, Jones Memorial Hospital, F.F. Thompson Hospital, Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital.