Hernia Surgery

Hernias

Hernias are quite common and involve a protrusion of a loop of bowel or tissue through the abdominal cavity. Hernias are common in men and women of all ages and in locations around the navel (umbilical hernia), groin (inguinal hernia) and in any area where there was previously a surgical incision. Inguinal hernias can occur from lifting heavy objects, muscle strains and pulls, constipation, weight gain, and coughing spells. This type of hernia can sometimes be seen as a visible bulge at the hernia site. They can also be accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, burning and pressure.

Claims Made by Davol, Inc. About Its Hernia Repair Products

Davol makes several claims about its hernia repair products, including the Bard Kugel patch, Bard PerFix Plug and Bard 3DMax Mesh. The company claims that hernia repair procedures involving their devices can be performed in outpatient surgery using local or epidural anesthesia rather than general. The company also claims the repair can be done within 45 minutes via a small 3 to 4 centimeter incision with only one stitch to hold the patch in place. It also claims that patients can go home one to two hours after the surgery and touts a quicker return to normal activities.

Hernia Surgery Types

Hernias can be repaired in numerous ways. If you have a Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch, you underwent a tension-free mesh technique surgery. Below are descriptions of the various types of hernia repair surgeries.

  • 1) Conventional (Tissue to Tissue) Hernia Repair– in conventional hernia repair, the doctor makes an incision over the hernia site, puts the protruding tissue or bowel back in the abdomen, removes the sac that formed over the tissue, and sews the surrounding muscle over the hernia site.
  • 2) Tension-free Mesh – in the tension-free mesh technique of hernia repair, the doctor makes an incision at the hernia site and inserts a piece of mesh to cover the hole in the abdominal wall in lieu of sewing the surrounding muscle together as in the conventional method.
    • a. The Davol Bard Composix Kugel Hernia Mesh Patch is used in many tension-free mesh hernia repair surgeries.
    • b. Other Davol products used in tension-free techniques include the Bard PerFix Plug and Bard 3DMax Mesh.
    • c. Another tension-free technique is called the Lichtenstein Technique.
  • 3) Laproscopic Hernia Repair – in laproscopic hernia repair surgery, the physician inserts a scope into the abdominal cavity and repairs the hernia by inserting tubes in separate incisions. Disadvantages to this method include the need for general anesthesia and the technique being new.

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