Is hernia surgery necessary or can it be managed without surgery?

Hernia cannot heal on its own. Surgery is the only permanent cure. While small, asymptomatic hernias may be observed, all symptomatic hernias and hernias at risk of complications (strangulation) should be repaired surgically. Waiting increases risk of emergency surgery.

What is the advantage of laparoscopic hernia repair over open surgery?

Laparoscopic hernia repair uses 3 tiny incisions instead of one large cut, resulting in less pain, faster recovery (back to work in 1–2 weeks vs 4–6 weeks), lower infection risk, and lower recurrence rates. Both inguinal hernias can be repaired in one operation laparoscopically.

Hernia Treatment in Punjab | Dr. Raman Garg – Laparoscopic Hernia Surgeon

Q: How long does hernia surgery take?

Laparoscopic hernia repair typically takes 30–60 minutes under general anaesthesia. Most patients go home the same day or within 24 hours. Day-care (ambulatory) hernia surgery is increasingly popular.

Q: Can hernia come back after surgery?

Recurrence risk after laparoscopic mesh repair is very low — less than 1–2%. Using mesh significantly reduces recurrence compared to tissue-only repair. Dr. Raman Garg uses high-quality prosthetic mesh for all hernia repairs.

Leading Hernia Surgeon Serving All of Punjab

A hernia occurs when an internal organ or tissue pushes through a weak spot in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue. Hernias are very common in Punjab — affecting farmers, labourers, and people with chronic coughing, constipation, or previous abdominal surgery. Dr. Raman Garg, Senior Surgical Gastroenterologist & Laparoscopic Surgeon at Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute, Bathinda, is one of Punjab's most experienced hernia surgeons — having performed over 500 hernia repairs.

Patients travel from across Punjab — Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Faridkot, Muktsar, Mansa, Barnala, Sangrur and beyond — for Dr. Garg's expertise in laparoscopic hernia repair. The procedure offers smaller incisions, faster recovery, and significantly lower recurrence rates compared to conventional open surgery.

Types of Hernia We Treat

Inguinal Hernia

Most common type — groin area. More frequent in men. Tissue pushes through inguinal canal. Repaired with TEP or TAPP laparoscopic technique.

Umbilical Hernia

At the navel/belly button. Common in adults with obesity or previous pregnancies. Laparoscopic repair with mesh.

Incisional Hernia

Occurs at site of previous surgery. Can be large. Laparoscopic repair preferred to avoid another large incision.

Femoral Hernia

Below inguinal ligament, more common in women. Higher strangulation risk. Prompt surgical repair recommended.

Hiatal Hernia

Part of stomach pushes through diaphragm. Causes severe GERD. Treated with laparoscopic fundoplication.

Epigastric Hernia

Small fatty hernia above navel. Usually small, simple repair.

Sports Hernia

Groin injury in athletes with abdominal/thigh pain. Specialized surgical repair.

Obturator Hernia

Rare hernia through obturator foramen. Common in elderly thin women. Complex repair.

Hernia Warning Signs

Go to emergency immediately if you have a hernia and notice:

Hernia becomes hard, tender, and cannot be pushed back (irreducible/incarcerated)
Overlying skin turns red or blue (strangulated hernia — surgical emergency!)
Sudden severe pain at the hernia site
Nausea, vomiting, inability to pass stools/gas
Fever with hernia pain

Laparoscopic vs Open Hernia Repair

Parameter	Laparoscopic	Open Surgery
Incision size	3 tiny cuts (5–10mm)	1 cut (4–8cm)
Post-op pain	Minimal	Moderate to severe
Hospital stay	Same day / 1 day	2–3 days
Return to work	5–10 days	3–4 weeks
Recurrence rate	<1–2%	3–5%
Both sides (bilateral)	Both repaired at once	Two separate operations
Wound infection	Very low	Higher risk

Cities in Punjab We Serve

Patients from these cities and districts regularly visit Dr. Raman Garg's clinic in Bathinda for hernia surgery:

Bathinda Ludhiana Amritsar Patiala Jalandhar Sangrur Mansa Barnala Faridkot Muktsar Ferozepur Fazilka Mohali Ropar Fatehgarh Sahib Kapurthala Gurdaspur Pathankot Hoshiarpur Nawanshahr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hernia surgery necessary?

Hernia cannot heal on its own. Surgery is the only permanent cure. All symptomatic hernias and hernias at risk of complications (strangulation) should be repaired surgically. Waiting increases risk of emergency surgery.

What is the advantage of laparoscopic hernia repair?

Laparoscopic hernia repair uses 3 tiny incisions instead of one large cut — less pain, faster recovery (back to work in 1–2 weeks), lower infection risk, and lower recurrence rates. Both inguinal hernias can be repaired in one operation.

How long does hernia surgery take?

Laparoscopic hernia repair typically takes 30–60 minutes under general anaesthesia. Most patients go home the same day or within 24 hours.

Can hernia come back after surgery?

Recurrence risk after laparoscopic mesh repair is very low — less than 1–2%. Using mesh significantly reduces recurrence compared to tissue-only repair.

Dr. Raman Garg

Hernia Treatment in Punjab