Hernia Center | Laparoscopic Hernia Repair | Dr. Scott Roth Q&A | Sports Hernias | Complex Hernias
See Dr. Scott Roth's article on hidden hernias, which refers to hiatal hernias that occur in most people over age 60, in the April 2008 issue of Bottom Line Health.
Get answers to your hernia related questions by e-mailing Dr. Scott Roth.
Approximately five million Americans suffer from hernias, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Each year approximately 750,000 seek treatment, yet experts believe many people choose to go untreated because they fear painful surgery.
Today this is not necessarily the case. Hernia surgery is often performed with minimally invasive techniques, which means that patients can often return quickly to normal activity, with less discomfort and much faster recovery times.
At the University of Maryland Hernia Center, patients receive the most advanced surgical care from doctors who are leaders in the field of hernia repair.
A laparoscopic, or minimially invasive, surgical procedure is an alternative to traditional or what is known as "open" surgery, in which a large incision must be made. At the University of Maryland Medical Center, surgeons provide patients with this technologically advanced option. Our surgeons use laparoscopic surgery -- also referred to as videoscopic surgery, keyhole surgery and laparoscopy -- to make incisions only millimeters in size.
These small incisions create a passageway for special surgical instruments and a laparoscope. A laparoscope is a fiber-optic instrument that is inserted in the abdominal wall. This device transmits images from within the body to a video monitor, allowing the surgeon to see the operative area on the screen.
Advantages to the minimally invasive approach include:
The UM Hernia Center specializes in using the most advanced minimally invasive (laparoscopic) techniques to treat all types of hernias. There are many advantages to this approach, including quicker recovery and shorter hospital stays, as well as a significantly reduced risk of infection and recurrence.
Most hernias at the Hernia Center are repaired laparoscopically, which is not true on a national level. In fact, most patients we see would probably be candidates for minimally invasive procedures. Although we perform surgeries minimally invasively whenever possible, we are also very experienced in performing traditional (open) surgery. Most importantly, each treatment is tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient.
Conditions Treated
Our surgeons excel in treating both complex cases -- such as recurrent hernias -- and more routine cases. With a hernia procedure, the first surgery is the patient's best chance of having a successful surgery. Our surgeons perform the most effective surgical procedures based on each patient's situation in an effort to avoid recurrences and get it right the first time.
Our multidisciplinary center treats all types of hernias, including:
Specialized Treatment Services
Our team of specialists offers a full range of diagnostic and treatment services designed to provide hernia patients with the most effective care possible. We offer a wide range of both minimally invasive and standard (open) procedures, including:
UM Hernia Center surgeons Scott Roth M.D., and Adrian Park, M.D. -- a leading authority on the laparoscopic treatment of abdominal wall hernias -- both have a tremendous amount of experience with hernia repair, and specialize in the most difficult cases. They are up-to-date with the latest minimally invasive trends and techniques, some of which they've helped to pioneer.
In addition to their surgical expertise, both Drs. Roth and Park -- a nationally known leader in laparoscopic surgery -- are teaching future doctors and community doctors how to perform these procedures. They are both fellowship trained and serve on the University of Maryland School of Medicine faculty.
Multidisciplinary Treatment Approach
Our multidisciplinary treatment approach benefits our patients, and is something many other facilities do not provide. Depending on the case, we work with various types of surgeons, including thoracic, trauma, pediatric and plastic surgeons to ensure the best outcomes. Dr. Ronald P. Silverman, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, is a nationally recognized expert in abdominal wall reconstruction and is actively involved with the Hernia Center in those patients with complex ventral hernias where synthetic mesh is undesirable or in hernia patients who may benefit from concurrent abdominoplasty. Patients have access to the expertise of all University of Maryland Medical Center surgeons and staff in one convenient place. In short, we bring the doctors to the patient instead of the other way around.
In addition, patients may have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials. Our researchers are initiating trials and investigating other types of treatments, including new prosthetics.
Operating Rooms of the Future
At the University of Maryland Medical Center, patients are treated in the nation's newest, most technologically advanced surgical facility, which houses 19 operating rooms for adult and pediatric patients.
Known as the "OR of the Future," this surgical facility is designed to accommodate the latest technical innovations and the best patient care practices. The operating rooms combine the most advanced video and other communications equipment with information technology in order to enhance patient safety and operational efficiency. More than 16,000 surgeries are performed at the Medical Center each year.
For more information about the University of Maryland Hernia Center or to make an appointment, please call 410-328-6187.
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