Our Approach to Hernia Care

At St. Mary Medical Center, we have a multidisciplinary team to ensure that every patient has individualized care for their hernia support. This care includes:

• Weight optimization
• Smoking cessation
• Nutrition counseling/Glucose optimization for diabetics
• Physical therapy

Complex hernia repair

Some hernias are more complicated to fix and are best repaired by surgeons at a higher volume center such as St. Mary Medical Center. Complex hernias include:

• Larger hernias. While some hernias are the size of a grape, others can be about the size of a watermelon or bigger.
• Incisional hernias (hernias that occur at prior incision sites) due to the presence of scar tissue or contents such as bowel stuck in the hernia.
• Recurrent hernias (hernias that were previously repaired) can be more complex to repair because of scar tissue, old mesh or suture material.

Our plastics and reconstructive surgery team is available for surgeries that require more extensive skin and soft tissue techniques to ensure the best results from surgery including:

• Abdominal wall reconstruction which is an advanced surgical procedure that strengthens a weakened or damaged abdominal muscle and restores the normal function of the abdominal wall.
• The treatment of excess skin/fat contributing to chronic wounds or infections.
• Removal of old foreign bodies (mesh, suture material, etc.) that may be contributing to the infection.
• Cosmetic procedures such as a tummy tuck or the repair of diastasis recti.