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Laparoscopic or Open Approach
Dr Towfigh,
Thank you for your helpful reply. I’m wondering how I would go about finding a surgeon who has “done at least 250 (and some say 500-750) laparoscopic inguinal hernias.” The hernia surgeon I saw at Johns Hopkins said he had a 60-70% success rate (his nurse told me that meant 30-40% recur)…that does not sound good to me. The other surgeon, who uses the open approach said he has less than 1% recur. From what you wrote, it seems perhaps this second option is better.
I would LIKE to find a surgeon who HAS the experience (250 or more) and can do it laparoscopically, but don’t have any idea how to find such a person (in PA, NJ, MD or DE). What are the main drawbacks to open surgery…longer healing time, more post-op pain, etc? (Neither Dr. is even SURE that I have a hernia, and if so if it is femoral or inguinal). The laparoscopic surgeon should see both areas easily…is the same true for open?
The groin pain makes it difficult to sit straight up (can recline); the other movement that is almost impossible, is to rotate my thigh (as when trying to look at sole of foot, or cross legs)…that sends pain off the chart. Is this consistent with hernia, or not?
I’m attaching 1 view from my Ultrasound (I was lying down); it was described by the radiologist as a “small inguinal cystic lesion” whatever that might mean.