About Hernia Surgery

• Our UCSD Hernia Center surgeons perform both laparoscopic (minimally invasive) and open repairs
• We offer hernia repairs that may involve local anesthesia, light sedation, spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia
• After initial consultation with a surgeon, we will help you decide which procedure is appropriate for you and your repair.

During the repair of your hernia, the surgeon will repair the hernia by either pushing the affected tissue back into place or removing it, and then use a piece of mesh to cover the weakened area.  The mesh is usually secured with sutures or staples. This technique helps to strengthen the repair and decreases the lifelong recurrence rate. 

In some cases, mesh is not used and the healthy tissue is simply stitched back together with sutures after the hernia repair. This procedure is called herniorrhaphy.

Depending on your individual case, your surgeon may choose to use regional anesthesia, a technique which uses local nerve blocks rather than general anesthesia. The benefits of regional anesthesia include less pain,  fewer side effects, a faster recovery time, and less time spent in the hospital.  We encourage our patients to ask about this option.

Learn More

• See a list of the various types of hernias we treat
• Read a sample patient consultation