Hernia Surgery Western North Carolina’s destination for complex hernia care Mission Hospital offers a comprehensive approach for the treatment of hernias disease by considering our patient’s overall health goals and offering cutting-edge surgical techniques in hernia repair. As the only hospital in western North Carolina that uses minimally invasive robotic techniques to surgically repair hernias, we believe patients will have the best outcomes with less recovery time. “Here at Mission Hospital I’m able to use cutting-edge technology to match patients with the surgical approach that’s right for them," says Dr. Sean O'Connor. "My goal is to get patients back to the activities they love quickly, while providing durable results that lasts a lifetime. The robot allows me to do this for even the most difficult hernias — and I love the challenge!” What Makes Us Different? Shorter recovery times and hospital stay Minimally invasive surgery techniques Preoperative programs available for smoking cessation, obesity and diabetes If applicable, collaborative treatment with patient’s providers: Primary Care Urologist Colon and Rectal Surgeons OB/GYN Nutritionist Weight Management Provider Smoking Cessation Counselor What Is a Hernia? A hernia is a bulge caused by tissue pushing through the wall of the muscle holding it in. While there are several different hernias, most are abdominal hernias, meaning that they occur in the belly and groin areas. You may have a hernia if you feel a soft lump in your belly or groin or in a scar where you had surgery in the past. The lump may go away if you press on it or lie down, and it may be painful if you cough, bend over or lift something heavy. Types of Hernias Inguinal hernia – this occurs when tissue pushes its way through a weak spot in the groin muscle. Femoral hernia – this occurs when the fatty tissue or part of the bowel pushes through into the groin at the top of the inner thigh. Umbilical hernia – this occurs when the intestines push through the abdominal muscles at the belly button. While they commonly occurs in infants, they may also occur in adults. Incisional hernia – this type of hernia is caused when part of the bowel bulges at or near an incompletely healed surgical wound. Hiatal hernia – this type of hernia occurs when a part of your stomach bulges up through the diaphragm and into your chest. Preoperative Programs: Smoking cessation: Collaborate with primary care providers to assist in smoking cessation not only to optimize the surgical outcome, but also the overall health of the patient. Obesity: Collaboration with Mission Weight Management for medical or surgical weight loss for patients who are qualified and interested to optimized outcomes. Diabetes: For patients with diabetes, we can collaborate with their primary care provider, nutritionist and/or bariatric surgeon to optimize successful patient outcome. Operative: Our robotics have allowed us to treat complex abdominal wall reconstruction with minimally invasive techniques. Based on current evidence, we standardize techniques and mesh implants. Shorter hospital stays by utilizing our Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program. Multimodal pain management minimizes postoperative pain as well as narcotic dependence. Following Our Outcomes: We participate in the Abdominal Core Quality Collaborative so we can follow our patients long- term outcomes compared to national benchmarks. We participate in research of cutting-edge techniques and materials.