Hernia Expert in TEXAS?!

[Topochico]

I am also in Texas.

I don’t know if you have already been diagnosed or not. But Austin surgeons in Austin have a number of surgeons that focus on hernias. dr abikhaled with them does a very good physical exam checking for hernias. However, I have not found a groin pain specialist in Texas yet. It’s been very much a “no bulge nothing wrong with you” sort of deal. To add to that even the imaging has been subpar – with a place claiming dynamic MRI is not a thing/doesn’t exist. As crazy as this sounds, your best bet is to take a short break and fly to California. See 2-3 doctors there for diagnosis/consultation (brown, towfigh, and maybe Chen (I think)). Sounds overkill, I know.

For surgery youd need to think about mesh vs no mesh. Then pick a surgeon from there. If you think you want mesh dr abikhaled in Austin gets good reviews from what I’ve seen. If you want an even better mesh surgeon go to Dr Ramshaw out of state.

Personally, I’m anti mesh. So I’d suggest looking at dr Brown in California, or Busconi and litwin at UMass. I’d recommend dr towfigh too, but I just haven’t looked into her techniques/ex patients yet to be comfortable suggesting her at this time. What I can say is she seems like a groin expert who is very knowledgeable and responsive.

I realize this is a long post and I’ve not given you the information you seek. But as of right now I’m in a similar boat, and have not found a specialtist in Texas who I feel is in the class of the others I mentioned above.

[Chaunce1234]

You may try searching these forums, or as Dr Towfigh suggests the American Hernia Society website.

I have read on a forum that Dr John Etlinger in San Antonio, TX has notable experience with groin hernia surgeries so that may be a starting point, but I have no additional details. Healthgrades.com suggests he performs a “very high” number of inguinal hernia repairs but I do not know where they get that data and if it is accurate.

One would imagine with the large population size, and large volume of manual labor in Texas for oil/gas/ranching/construction that there’d be a fair number of surgeons with notable hernia experience there.

Keep us updated on your case.

[drtowfigh]

UT Southwestern has good surgeons but there is no one that stands out to me as a Hernia expert there. Try flipping through America’s Hernia Society website under Find A surgeon to see who is nearby.