Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 4/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Doctor,
My 85 year old father is diagnosed with hernia on right side of groin.  What are risks of general anesthesia given his older age. Is it advisable to go for the surgery. I would appreciate your kind advice.

ANSWER: Age is NOT a contraindication for surgery. It depends on how healthy he is and how much the hernia bothers him. If he is otherwise healthy, the risks are small (and they can do the operation under local or regional anesthesia even if he's not healthy). If the hernia is small and doesn't bother him, don't worry about it, but if it's large and causes a lot of discomformt, it should be taken care of.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Many thanks Dr.Levy. Should we go for open or keyhole surgery. I heard that keyhole surgery may result in post-surgical complications.

Answer
It depends on the surgeon. Not all surgeons are comfortable doing laparoscopic hernia repairs. It also depends on the size of the hernia and whether your father has worn a truss. It is certainly worth discussing with the surgeon. They can tell you the risks/benefits of both procedures.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston