Keyhole hernia surgery: Minimally invasive repair for hernias

Keyhole hernia surgery is a minimally invasive procedure performed using general anaesthetic for the repair of a hernia.

Here, Professor Khurshid Akhtar, renowned consultant general and upper GI (gastrointestinal) surgeon, provides an expert insight into keyhole hernia surgery.

What is keyhole hernia surgery, and how does it differ from traditional hernia surgery?

Keyhole is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to repair hernias.

A hernia develops when a weak area in the body cavity allows the inside contents of, for example, the abdomen (which are the intestines and other tissues) to protrude out of the body. This causes symptoms, such as pain, discomfort, and in some cases serious complications like strangulation.

Before, large incisions had to be made to perform hernia surgery. Nowadays, however, it is possible to perform hernia surgery using the keyhole technique, which involves making smaller incisions (0.5cm – 1.5cm in size) in the skin. Cameras are then inserted through these incisions to look inside the body, as well as small surgical instruments which are used to repair, correct or remove.

With keyhole surgery, there is less pain, less trauma to the body, an earlier recovery, and a quicker return to normal activities. This hasn’t been proven on randomised trials yet, but I see it all of the time with my patients, which is why I always recommend keyhole surgery if it is possible to do so.

Who is eligible for keyhole hernia surgery?

Keyhole hernia surgery is mostly performed for inguinal hernias and hiatus hernias, although it can be used for other types of hernias as well.

It is possible to perform keyhole hernia surgery for any type of patient, but to make it easier for both the patient and the surgeon, it is important that the patient has a healthy BMI. A high BMI may complicate surgery, and so, I always advise patients to try and lose weight before the operation to ensure less chances of complications and a quicker recovery.

However, keyhole hernia surgery can be offered to any patient – each case just needs to be assessed carefully.

What is the success rate of keyhole hernia surgery compared to other traditional methods?

Open hernia surgery, or traditional hernia surgery, is a very successful operation that has been performed for over 100 years. Keyhole hernia surgery is similar - the hernia is simply repaired using a different technique.

I recommend open hernia surgery for many patients, if that it is the most suitable operation for them. However, if keyhole hernia surgery is performed, there are certain advantages, including:

• Repair of simultaneous hernias: If a patient has hernias on both sides of the groin, keyhole surgery allows the possibility of repairing the two hernias through the same incision, which results in less trauma. Thus, keyhole hernia surgery is definitely the technique of choice for patients who have hernias occurring at the same time.
• Quicker recovery: Keyhole surgery ensures less pain and a quicker return to normal activities, which is beneficial for patients.

What is your experience in keyhole hernia surgery?

I have been performing keyhole hernia surgery for over 20 years and I have always found it to be a very good operation. As well as this, I was also involved in earlier research of the technique, which investigated whether it was possible to perform keyhole hernia surgery safely and whether it was as equally as effective as traditional hernia surgery.

However, every operation has risks, and keyhole hernia surgery is not an exception. There are risks of infection, injury, chest infection, and blood clots with keyhole hernia surgery. Therefore, it is very important that patients are well-prepared for surgery and that they take the operation seriously. I always tell patients to prepare as if they were going to play a sports match, which means regularly exercising and trying to lose weight, to achieve the most optimal situation.

At the end of the preparation stage, patients should be in their best form, both physically and mentally, because this will ensure less risks and complications, and a quicker recovery after surgery.

If you require keyhole hernia surgery and you would like to consult your options with an expert, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with Professor Khurshid Akhtar via his Top Doctors profile today.