Hernia Knowledge Center
Your reliable guide to abdominal wall hernias – from the first signs to modern treatments. Find out about different types of hernia such as inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia, femoral hernia, hiatal hernia and incisional hernia. Find out which surgical methods are used today. Learn how specialized surgeons can provide you with individual care and help you recover quickly.
Find out when an operation is really necessary.
An inguinal hernia (medically: inguinal hernia) is one of the most common surgical conditions worldwide. In Germany alone, over 300,000 inguinal hernias are operated on every year. Men are particularly affected, but women and children can also develop an inguinal hernia. The central question that many patients ask themselves is: “Do I need surgery on my inguinal hernia immediately or can I wait and see?”
In this article, we explain when an operation is necessary. We also show the risks of an untreated inguinal hernia. We also present modern, minimally invasive procedures. These include the TAPP method (transabdominal preperitoneal meshplasty).
Safe and gentle treatment – often possible on an outpatient basis.
Keyhole surgery (laparoscopy) has established itself as the gold standard in hernia surgery worldwide – including for the treatment of femoral hernias. This technique is performed through small skin incisions (approx. 5-10 mm), which minimizes pain, wound healing problems and scarring.
Advantages at a glance:
- Barely visible scars
- Significantly less pain
- Low risk of infection
- Rapid mobilization
- Outpatient implementation possible
- Also ideal for bilateral or recurrent hernias
Many patients diagnosed with an inguinal hernia ask themselves the question: Does a hernia really always need to be operated on? Are there cases in which surgery can be avoided? The short answer is: Not every inguinal hernia needs to be operated on immediately. But a hernia can only be healed permanently with an operation. In this article, we explain when a hernia can be treated without surgery. We also show when surgery is necessary.
You will learn what determines whether surgery is necessary, what types of hernia there are (e.g. small asymptomatic vs. larger ones with symptoms) and why an individual medical assessment is always important in the end. We also shed light on when a hernia becomes dangerous and when there is no time left for conservative treatment. The aim is to give medical laypeople a clear and well-founded insight. We use the advice from our hernia center VenaZiel in Berlin.