Surgery has generally been recommended for all inguinal hernias to avoid complications such as strangulation, in which a loop of intestine becomes tightly trapped in a hernia, cutting off the blood supply to that part of the intestine.
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/inguinal-hernia-surgery
With time, the internal ring dilates, leaving an adult with what can be a sizable defect in the floor of the inguinal canal; this must be closed in addition to division or reduction of the indirect hernia sac. A hydrocele is a commonly encountered pathology related to hernias.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1534281-overview
For open hernia repair surgery, a single long incision is made in the groin. If the hernia is bulging out of the abdominal wall (a direct hernia), the bulge is pushed back into place. If the hernia is going down the inguinal canal (indirect), the hernia sac is either pushed back or tied off and removed.
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/open-inguinal-hernia-repair-herniorrhaphy-hernioplasty
In the United States, approximately 96 percent of groin hernias are inguinal and 4 percent are femoral. Inguinal hernias are bilateral in as many as 20 percent of affected adults. 1. The most common hernia in both sexes is the indirect inguinal hernia. The male-to-female ratio is 9:1 for inguinal hernias and 1:3 for femoral hernias. While inguinal hernias occur fairly equally across adult age groups, femoral hernias tend to occur more often in elderly women.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0101/p143.html
Outpatient surgery takes about 1 hour. Open surgery is different from laparoscopic surgery for hernia repair in the following ways: 1  An open surgery requires one larger incision instead of several small incisions. 2  If hernias are on both sides, a second incision will be needed to fix the other hernia.
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/open-inguinal-hernia-repair-herniorrhaphy-hernioplasty
Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world. Most surgeons now prefer to perform a tension-free mesh repair. The Lichtenstein tension-free hernioplasty is currently one of the most popular techniques for repair of inguinal hernias.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1534281-overview
They are most commonly seen in the groin; a minority are paraumbilical or incisional. In the groin, inguinal hernias are more common than femoral hernias. Inguinal hernias occur in about 15% of the adult population, and inguinal hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world. Approximately 800,000 mesh hernioplasties are performed each year in the United States, 100,000 in France, and 80,000 in the United Kingdom.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1534281-overview
Inguinal and femoral hernias are the most common conditions for which primary care physicians refer patients for surgical management. Hernias usually present as swelling accompanied by pain or a dragging sensation in the groin. Most hernias can be diagnosed based on the history and clinical examination, but ultrasonography may be useful in differentiating a hernia from other causes of groin swelling.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0101/p143.html
Surgery in children. In most cases, a child with an inguinal hernia will need surgery to correct it. Infants 6 months of age and younger who have inguinal hernias have a much higher risk of strangulation than older children and adults. So surgery for inguinal hernias in infants is not delayed like it can be for adults.
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/inguinal-hernia-surgery
Most people who have open hernia repair surgery are able to go home the same day. Recovery time is about 3 weeks. You most likely can return to light activity after 3 weeks. Strenuous exercise should wait until after 6 weeks of recovery.
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/open-inguinal-hernia-repair-herniorrhaphy-hernioplasty
what types of open surgery for inguinal hernia
The Lichtenstein tension-free hernioplasty is an open surgery for inguinal hernia. The Lichtenstein tension free hernioplasty is a type of open surgery for inguinal hernia.