Hernia recurrence rates vary a lot after hernia surgery. Reports of 90 – 99% success rates are common. Mesh repairs, in many cases, offer a smaller chance of hernia recurrence rate than non-mesh repairs. Unfortunately, some repairs may lead to very high incidence of chronic pain, which can range from 5-15%.
The key is to find a surgeon that performs a lot of hernia surgery. Typically, a high volume surgeon will have better results with or without the use of mesh. Focused hernia clinics or hernia centers sometimes offer a variety of procedures that meet the individual needs of patients. There is no “one size fits all” approach to hernia surgery, and surgeons that specialize in hernias are often able to tailor their approach to each individual patient. Most patients in the United States benefit from mesh hernia surgery. We typically recommend the posterior mesh repair (preperitoneal repair), but some patients may require an anterior mesh approach depending on their medical and surgical history. Some may be good candidates for non-mesh hernia repair. These decisions should be made on an individual basis with your hernia surgeon.
About Dr. Reinhorn & Dr. Fullington
Dr. Michael Reinhorn is a specialist in inguinal hernia and umbilical hernia. Dr. Reinhorn started his practice as a full service general surgeon in 2001. In 2012 Dr. Reinhorn started to focus on the care of hernia and pilonidal patients. In 2020, Dr. Nora Fullington was recruited from her work as a general surgeon performing hundreds of laparoscopic hernia repairs to Boston Hernia. Together with their physician assistant team, they provide a focused practice designed to provide a superior clinical experience. The team performs approximately 1000 hernia surgeries every year and offers a tailored approach for each patient from anesthesia type to consideration of mesh and no mesh repairs, laparoscopic and open surgery. We have published outcomes and continue to participate in hernia and surgery societies. Our research led to a reduction in opioid prescribing after hernia surgery. Currently, Dr. Reinhorn serves as the chair of the Opioid Reduction Task Force of the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative.