Abdominal wall hernias are common in humans and result from a breakdown of the supporting tissue, called fascia. A “hole” forms in the abdominal wall and this causes a cosmetic bulge and sometimes pain.

When hernias enlarge, there is significant loss of abdominal wall support. In addition, small intestine can squeeze into the hole and become stuck or “incarcerated”. Therefore, hernias are one of the most common causes of bowel obstruction and may lead to intestinal strangulation. This is a severe life-threatening condition requiring emergency surgery.

Furthermore, once hernias start, they never go away on their own. They only get larger over time due to intra-abdominal pressure. Therefore, it is standard surgical care to repair hernias electively when they are diagnosed.

Due to overwhelming evidence that tension free mesh repairs offer significantly lower recurrence rates, prosthetic mesh is used in nearly all hernia surgery, and has been for almost 25 years.

Many different mesh products have evolved over the years, and continue to be modified or improved at a rapid rate. Some examples include heavy weight polypropylene, polyester, ePTFE (Gore-tex ™), and light-weight polypropylene. Important for intra-abdominal placement are double layer meshes and coated meshes, which prevent adhesion formation and lessen the chance of intestinal complications.

There is also a wave of “biologic” meshes made from porcine or human dermis. Since they are not synthetic, they will be incorporated into the body over time and sometimes re-vascularize. Therefore, this mesh does not involve a foreign body and is especially useful in the presence of contamination or infection.

We have extensive experience in many types of mesh hernia repairs as listed below. In addition, Dr. Haggerty is forming a regional referral center dedicated to high volume hernia surgery, advanced techniques, excellent outcomes, research and teaching.

Inguinal hernia

Umbilical hernia

Ventral, Incisional and Complex abdominal Wall Hernias

Sports Hernia

Hiatal Hernia

Multidisciplinary Management of Groin Pain

Mesh removal for Infection or Chronic Pain