Do all groin hernias need surgical repair?

We know that surgery is the only proven treatment to repair a hernia but is surgery the right option for everyone? For most people, it is. But like most things in life, there are exceptions to this rule.

For example, if a patient has serious underlying health problems, then surgery might not be the right treatment for them. But even in those situations, one option is to have the operation done under a local anaesthetic.

Another reason is if the person does not want to have an operation which can be the case if the hernia is not bothering them too much or if they have not noticed it at all, for example, with an incidental or an occult hernia. Even with more noticeable hernias, sometimes a patient just does not want to have an operation.

It is perfectly acceptable in these situations for the surgeon and patient to agree to watch and wait. In other words, to keep an eye on the hernia and not have it surgically repaired at that time.

But it is important to mention that for every three people who decide not to have an operation immediately and to go down the watch and wait route, two will need an operation within five years’ time because of worsening of symptoms or a change in circumstances.

That is important to bear in mind when deciding whether you want to have an operation to repair a hernia or whether you want to wait and see.