HerniaTalk **LIVE** Q&A: What’s More Important: Surgeon or Technique?

[drtowfigh]

Yes. All professional athletes I’ve operated on so far have had laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs with mesh.

For their umbilical hernias, all but one was non-mesh. These were all small hernias.

Biologic or absorbable meshes are improving. Almost all of the newer ones have clinical trials showing okay results.

[Alephy]

Nice video! @drtowfigh I was wondering, you mentioned you operated on professional basketball players: can I ask if you used mesh for some of those cases?

You also mentioned biological meshes for those patients allergic to synthetic meshes: are the bio meshes getting better? Was there a conclusive study on the recurrence rate for those?

Thanks again!

[drtowfigh]

Discussed this week!

[David M]

That is an excellent question by John concerning the importance of knowing the hernia location beforehand and one that I hope Dr Towfigh will cover in her talk. Some surgeons will say it doesn’t matter because the operation would be the same regardless, but I don’t think all surgeons agree. Perhaps the way the cremaster is handled would be different with some, depending on direct vs indirect?

[John]

Is knowing if I have a direct or indirect inguinal hernia important in selecting a surgeon or technique?

[John]

Is an ultrasound identified inguinal hernia with a finding of “no definite reducibility” a cause for concern, or simply an indication that it was not clear on the ultrasound if the hernia could be reduced?

• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by  John.