There are over 1 million hernia repairs performed annually in the US, and robotics is revolutionizing the adoption of minimally-invasive hernia repairs. From 2015 to 2018, robotic laparoscopic hernia repairs have explosively grown from less than 2% to 20% of all hernia repairs performed in the US.
Hernia repairs are among the most basic procedures for general surgeons, and there is substantial enthusiasm on the part of surgeons regarding the rapid changes in techniques as well as the best methods of teaching them. Surgical training programs may find it difficult to maintain training for their residents and fellows in the face of rapidly evolving technology. Here, Dr. Lourié presents the case of a 28-year-old male with bilateral inguinal hernias that were repaired using a robotic-assisted laparoscopic approach.
Domingo Alvear, MD Founder, World Surgical Foundation
Yoko Young Sang, MD Resident Physician General Surgery Louisiana State University Shreveport
In this case, Dr. Alvear performs an open right inguinal herniorrhaphy on a 1-year-old male using his own technique involving high ligation of the hernia sac and internal ring repair. This was filmed during a surgical mission in Honduras with the World Surgical Foundation.
