There are many things to consider when deciding if you should have inguinal hernia repair surgery, such as whether your hernia is incarcerated or strangulated and whether you have other conditions that need to be addressed before hernia repair surgery is appropriate.

What To Expect After Surgery
Most people who have laparoscopic hernia repair surgery are able to go home the same day. Recovery time is about 1 to 2 weeks.

Studies have found that people have less pain after laparoscopic hernia repair than after open hernia surgery.

Why It Is Done
Surgical repair is recommended for inguinal hernias that are causing pain or other symptoms and for hernias that are incarcerated or strangulated. Surgery is always recommended for inguinal hernias in children.

Laparoscopic hernia repair is being done in some hospitals and clinics as an alternative to open surgery. It may be the preferred option for people who need to return quickly to work or other activities and for those who have hernias on both sides.

Laparoscopic surgery repair may not be appropriate for people who:

• Have an incarcerated hernia.
• Cannot tolerate general anesthesia.
• Have bleeding disorders such as hemophilia or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
• Are taking medicines to prevent blood clotting (blood thinners or anticoagulants, such as warfarin).
• Have had many abdominal surgeries. Scar tissue may make the surgery harder to do through the laparoscope.
• Have severe lung diseases such as emphysema. The carbon dioxide used to inflate the abdomen may interfere with their breathing.
• Are pregnant.

• Are extremely obese.

Laparoscopic hernia repair usually is not done on children. But a laparoscope may be used during open hernia repairs in children to explore the opposite groin for a hernia. This can be done by inserting the laparoscope into the side that is being operated on and looking at the opposite side. If a hernia is present, the surgeon can repair both sides during the same operation.

How Well It Works
Laparoscopic surgery has the following advantages over open hernia repair:

Some people may prefer laparoscopic hernia repair because it causes less pain and they are able to return to work more quickly than they would after open repair surgery.

Repair of a recurrent hernia often is easier using laparoscopic techniques than using open surgery.
It is possible to check for and repair a second hernia on the opposite side at the time of the operation.
Because smaller incisions are used, laparoscopy may be more appealing for cosmetic reasons.

Risks
Some people may need special preparation before surgery to decrease the risk of complications. These are people who:

• Have a history of blood clots in large blood vessels (deep vein thrombosis).
• Smoke.
• Take large doses of aspirin. Aspirin slows blood clotting and may increase the chances of bleeding after surgery.
• Take blood thinners (such as warfarin, heparin, and enoxaparin).

• Have severe urinary problems, such as those caused by an enlarged prostate gland.

Risks of laparoscopic hernia repair include:

• Pain in the cord that carries sperm from the testicle to the penis (spermatic cord), in the testicles, or in the thighs.
• Fluid (seromas) or blood (hematomas) in the scrotum, the inguinal canal, or the abdominal muscles.
• Inability to urinate (urinary retention) or bladder injury.
• Infection from the mesh or stitches.
• Scar tissue formation (adhesions).
• Injury to abdominal organs, blood vessels, and nerves.
• Numbness in the thigh.
• Pain in the thigh (nerve entrapment).
• Injury to the testicle, causing testicular atrophy (rare).

• Recurrence of the hernia (usually related to the mesh applied during surgery being too small to cover the groin area or the mesh not being stapled well). Experts suggest that the experience of the surgical team plays an important role in recurrence rates because laparoscopic techniques can be difficult to master. Some studies have shown that up to 10% of hernias repaired with laparoscopic surgery may recur. Large, multicenter studies have found recurrence rates as low as 0.25% to 2%.

What To Think About
Doctors and researchers of laparoscopic hernia repair say that laparoscopy has not yet been proved to offer long-term advantages over open surgery. They stress the need for more studies on laparoscopic safety and effectiveness in hernia repair.

Laparoscopic hernia repair is different from open surgery in the following ways:

• A laparoscopic repair requires several small incisions instead of a single larger cut.
• If hernias are on both sides, both hernias can be repaired at the same time without the need for a second large incision. * Laparoscopic surgery allows the surgeon to examine both groin areas and all sites of hernias for defects. In addition, the patch or mesh can be placed over all possible areas of weakness, helping prevent a hernia from recurring in the same spot or developing in a different spot.
• Most of the time, a person must receive general anesthesia for laparoscopic repair. Open hernia repair can be done under general, spinal, or local anesthesia.

• Laparoscopic repair of a hernia is more expensive than open surgery because of the increased costs associated with slightly longer operating room time and the cost of laparoscopic technology.

Our physicians and health care coordinators have extensive, hands on experience working with doctors and hospitals throughout Mexico. We began developing our network of Mexico’s finest doctors and hospitals in 2000 by conducting personal interviews and educational background checks on more than 700 Mexican doctors and inspecting over 80 private hospitals. We spent 6 years researching the Mexican healthcare system before we referred our first patient for surgery in February of 2006. As a result, if you decide to let MedToGo coordinate your surgery or medical service in Mexico, you can be assured that you will be working with the country’s finest doctors and institutions.

You will have also hired a team of U.S. physicians and health care and coordinators that will oversee your care and serve as your advocate while you are in Mexico. You will not be alone. Your safety and peace of mind are our primary concern. Furthermore, we can offer you complete healthcare packages with up to 75% off the price of a comparable experience in the U.S.-without a compromise in quality.

• Our physicians meet and hold personal interviews with all Mexican physicians.
• We verify the doctor’s educational experience and credentials, including board certification and licensing.
• We request and check professional references and assess a doctor’s local reputation through various professional and personal resources. Doctors must be in good standing with their community and hospitals. There must be no history of current or repeated legal malpractice.
• We review physician resumés and give preference to physicians who have been consistent with continuing medical education, who are active in their medical societies and who have been entrusted with leadership roles within their institutions.
• We examine evidence of their surgical success rates.

• Prior to including a surgeon or physician into our program, we attend his/her operations to evaluate competence and skill.

But if you hire MedToGo we will not only provide you with a selection of Mexico’s finest health care providers and coordinate your procedure, we will also be your advocates while you are abroad and not rest until have returned home.

Your Mexican hospital and doctor compensates MedToGo for marketing services, and MedToGo does not add additional fees to the cost of your package. MedToGo does not accept cash incentives or alterations in compensation from physicians or hospitals. This ensures that our recommendations are unbiased and based solely on our experience and quality assessment.

I really appreciate the hard work of your Health Care Coordinators and staff in quoting and attending to all the details to make the operation the resounding success that it was.

I was surprised to be met at the airport by the liaison and taken to the hotel. Incidentally the hotel was very nice, good choice!

The doctors and surgeons were really first class. The surgeon spoke excellent English and was very professional. He was able to discuss the operation and address my concerns. Therefore, I was very comfortable going in to the operation.

The hospital and hospital personnel were first rate in their attention to detail and the care of their patients. It was a professional and caring environment. They took very good care of me.

I am healing nicely. I am back at my 12-hour days and am lifting 50 lb. bags occasionally with no problems. I suspect I will be throwing 50 lb. bags in another 1-2 months.

Overall, it was a good experience and I would not hesitate to recommend your services to family and friends.

Sincerely,

Scott Freeze

P.S. I would be happy to chat with prospective clients, but I would have to phone them as my schedule is so busy in the spring.