Hernia surgery education • Calgary, Alberta
Hernia Surgery in Calgary
This overview explains common hernia surgery options—when surgery is considered, technique differences, mesh considerations, and recovery planning.
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Mesh vs tissue repair for inguinal hernia
Executive summary: Mesh repair is the evidence-based standard of care for most inguinal hernia repairs. International guidelines recommend mesh based on high‑level evidence, with non‑mesh (tissue) repair reserved for specific scenarios.
Key outcomes
- Recurrence: Low long‑term recurrence is reported with modern mesh repairs (approx. 2.1% Lichtenstein; 1.8% TEP; 1.9% TAPP). Traditional tissue repairs (e.g., Bassini/McVay) have higher recurrence rates than mesh repair.
- Chronic pain: Chronic pain rates are generally low (often ~1–5%) and are not significantly different between mesh and non‑mesh approaches in comparative studies.
- Complications: Serious mesh‑related complications are rare (often cited <1%), and the need for mesh removal in groin hernia repair is uncommon (<1%).
When tissue repair may be used
- Contaminated fields (e.g., necrotic/perforated bowel in strangulation)
- A small subset of healthy patients at low recurrence risk who strongly prefer to avoid mesh
- When a patient declines mesh or mesh is unavailable
Key references
- HerniaSurge Group. International guidelines for groin hernia management. Hernia. 2018;22(1):1–165.
- Simons MP, Aufenacker T, Bay‑Nielsen M, et al. European Hernia Society guidelines on the treatment of inguinal hernia in adult patients. Hernia. 2009;13(4):343–403.
- Sajid MS, Ladwa N, Kalra L, et al. Meta‑analysis: tacker vs glue fixation in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Am J Surg. 2013;206(1):103–111.
- Burgmans JP, Schouten N, Smakman N, et al. Anterior vs posterior approach: systematic review. Hernia. 2015;19(2):187–198.
- Sanders DL, Kingsnorth AN. History of hernia repair. Hernia. 2012;16(1):1–7.
- British Columbia Health Technology Assessment (HTA). Inguinal hernia repair: mesh vs non‑mesh techniques. 2015.
Educational content only. Individual recommendations depend on anatomy, symptoms, prior surgery, and surgeon judgement.
Frequently asked questions
Is surgery always required?
Not always; some minimally symptomatic hernias may be observed safely.
Open vs laparoscopic?
Open uses an incision over the hernia; laparoscopic uses small incisions and camera guidance.
How long does it take?
Varies; many repairs are day surgery.
How painful is it?
Most have manageable soreness with multimodal pain strategies.
When can I return to sport?
With staged progression guided by your surgeon based on repair type and symptoms.