Hernia Repair – Recurrence Rate (Updated July 2014)
DeKalb Surgical Associates surgeons perform both “open” and laparoscopic hernia repairs. We monitor the frequency with which patients have a recurrence. Fortunately, the likelihood of a recurrence is low, but it can happen. For a given surgeon or group of surgeons, the “recurrence rate” may vary, depending the characteristics of the patients (for example, heavier patients are at more risk for recurrence), the experience of the surgeons, and the type of repair done (for example, “open” vs laparoscopic). In published reports across the US, the recurrence rate may be anywhere from <1%, to as high as 10% or more, so it is important for the surgeon and for you to know what their outcomes have been in the past, as an indicator for what you might expect in your case. In a recent review of our own cases, over 4 years, our overall recurrence rate is 1.2% at a median of 5 years of followup. For just the laparoscopic repairs, the recurrence rate is 2.31%, and for the “open” hernia repairs, the recurrence rate is 0.76%. Our surgeons have a combined 112 years of experience in repairing hernias. We will carefully assess your specific case, and together with you decide on what technique will likely best meet your individual needs. [/av_textblock] [/av_one_full]
