Two techniques which can be used for hernia repair are the laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery. Both techniques offer similar outcomes but they differ based on a several factors. Below is a brief overview of the pros and cons of each type of hernia repair. Patients can review the follow chart to Compare Laparoscopic & Robotic Hernia Surgery.
Patients can visit the individual pages for laparoscopic hernia surgery and robotic hernia surgery to watch videos of each type of surgery, review pictures and diagrams, and learn more details about that type of repair.
Compare Laparoscopic & Robotic Hernia Surgery Chart
| Laparoscopic Hernia Repair | Robotic Hernia Repair |
|---|---|
| A common technique used for hernia repair. More than 10% of hernia repairs. | More common approach for hernia repair. 40% of hernia repairs. |
| Able to avoid the intestines by operating outside of the abdominal lining. | Requires surgery to be performed inside the abdomen with the intestines. |
| Avoids potential for scar tissue and adhesions in the intestines. | Because it is performed inside of the abdomen, potential risk for adhesions of the intestines. |
| Requires advanced laparoscopic equipment. | Requires use of a hospital with robotic equipment. |
| Recurrence rates of 1-2% and infection rates of <1%. | Recurrence rates of 1-2% and infection rates of <1%. |
| All cases done at an outpatient facility. | Most cases done at a hospital due to expense of the robot. |
| 1 cm incision next to the belly button, and 2 small punctures below the belly button. | 1 cm incision through the belly button, and 2 medium sized punctures next to the belly button. |
| All surgery centers used for laparoscopic surgery are ‘in-network’ with your insurance. | Most outpatient surgery centers used are ‘out-of-network’ with your insurance. |
| On average, 99% of our patients do not require any opioid pain medications after their surgery. | Pain levels will vary based on the experience of the surgeon and his/her specific techniques. |
| All patients will return to normal activities within several weeks. | All patients will return to normal activities within several weeks. |
| Most cost effective option for patients since all surgery centers used for laparoscopic surgery are ‘in-network’ with your insurance. | Potential for higher costs for patients due to the out-of-network facilities, or can be done at a hospital. |
| Surgery is usually about 30 minutes in length. | Surgery is about 60 minutes in length. |
| Depending on the experience of the surgeon, some large, chronic, long standing hernias can be difficult to repair. | Depending on the experience of the surgeon, some large, chronic, long standing hernias can be difficult to repair. |
The two major types of hernia surgery are traditional open surgery, and minimally invasive surgery. No one approach is suitable for every patient. Patients with certain types of hernias may benefit from open hernia surgery while another similar patient may need laparoscopic hernia repair. The size of the hernia, the location, and whether it is unilateral or bilateral influences the best approach. To compare open, laparoscopic and robotic hernia surgery, patients can read our individual pages:
- ‘Open Surgery‘ page
- ‘Laparoscopic Surgery‘ page
- ‘Robotic Surgery‘ page
Laparoscopic vs Robotic Inguinal Hernia Repair
Dr. Harris narrates an actual laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair done at our hernia center and compares it to a robotic surgery.Hear From Our Past Patients
Listen to our past patients discuss their experiences with choosing hernia surgery and how they compare laparoscopic hernia surgery.
What treatment did you choose for your hernia repair?
Past patients of Dr. Harris discuss what type of surgery they ultimately chose for their hernia repair and what helped them make that decision.Our Approach
Dr. Harris specializes in surgical repair for all hernia types. For patients who require a laparoscopic surgery, Dr. Harris commonly performs these procedures. When performing a tension free mesh hernia repair, Dr. Harris uses the latest and most advanced mesh available which significantly reduces pain and discomfort after the surgery. Many surgeons still use mesh which was invented 10 years ago which can increase the chances of post operative mesh pain. Today’s advanced mesh reduces those risks to almost zero.
Although open surgical hernia repair is still an important option for many patients, every patient should consider being seen by a surgeon who can perform advanced laparoscopic hernia surgery and who uses the newest mesh. Only a small handful of the hundreds of general surgeons in Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego have the experience to perform hernia surgeries using laparoscopic techniques and use cutting edge mesh.
Dr. Harris, Thank you for saving Justin’s life. You saw how much he suffered. When no pediatric surg/gi would touch him, you saved him!
