A hernia will not heal if left untreated and will likely progress in size and severity. It is generally advisable to have hernia repair surgery (herniorrhaphy) before it becomes an emergency condition. The exception is an umbilical hernia in an infant, which might heal by age two.
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It is important to seek medical advice about hernia symptoms before they progress to emergency conditions.

Incarceration of the Bowel: A portion of the intestine is trapped in the hernia sac. This may block your digestive system or damage internal organs and could progress to strangulation. Seek medical treatment immediately.

Signs to watch for:
  • A bulge that cannot be pushed back
  • Severe pain
  • Bloating of abdomen
  • Tenderness at site
  • Nausea or vomiting

Strangulation of the Bowel: A portion of the intestine is tightly trapped by the hernia, reducing or entirely cutting off the blood supply. This can quickly cause the tissue to die. Seek medical treatment immediately.

Signs to watch for:
  • A bulge that cannot be pushed back in
  • Sudden increase in severe pain
  • Bloating of abdomen
  • Intense tenderness at site
  • Fever
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Lack of bowel movements
  • Inability to pass gas

Herniorrhaphy
The basic steps in herniorrhaphy are to open the hernia sac (the intestines or tissue are inside the stretched peritoneum), place the intestine or tissue back in place, remove excess tissue and close the sac. Next the muscle layer is repaired, and usually reinforced with a mesh or graft. These repairs can be made by open or laparoscopic surgery.

Herniorrhaphy: Tension vs. Tension-Free Repair
A tension repair closes the hernia by pulling together the patient’s tissue and suturing. This method places the tissue under strain, causing pain and higher recurrence rates than with tension-free repair. A tension-free hernia repair uses a tissue repair material (often called a mesh or a graft) to reinforce the damaged tissue.

There are two main categories of tissue repair materials:

  • Synthetic Mesh: These are sheets of man-made materials (polypropylene, polyester, silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene) that permanently remain in your body. While they offer strength for a repair, they may cause problems. For example:
    • You might be able to feel the mesh in your abdomen, causing discomfort.
    • Synthetic mesh can erode into surrounding tissue or organs, resulting in pain and tissue damage.
    • Your body might respond to synthetic mesh as a foreign material and surround it with scar tissue.

  • Biologic Grafts: Derived from human or animal tissue, biologic grafts typically allow cells to grow into the graft and replace it—a process called remodeling. Some biologic grafts are made from skin tissue, which makes them prone to stretching and bulging. Other biologic grafts are chemically altered to strengthen the material. However, when these grafts are implanted, your body may respond to them as if they were a synthetic mesh.

  • Biodesign is a next generation biologic graft shown to reduce recurrence rates when compared to other biologics. That’s because, once in place the body completely remodels Biodesign into strong, organized tissue.

    And unlike synthetic mesh, nothing is left permanently in the body to cause problems down the road.



Biodesign may not be the appropriate treatment option for your condition.
Information provided on this site is not intended to replace consultation with a medical professional.

NOTE: Any surgery has the potential for complications. The following complications are possible with the use of Biodesign® Advanced Tissue Repair Products: bleeding, infection, abscess, induration, acute or chronic inflammation (initial application of surgical graft materials may be associated with transient, mild, localized inflammation), allergic reaction, visceral adhesions, fistula formation, seroma formation, hematoma, extrusion, recurrence of tissue defect, and delayed or failed incorporation of the device. Not all part numbers listed on this website are approved for sale in all regulatory jurisdictions. Consult with your local Cook representative or customer service center for details.