ABDOMINAL WALL HERNIAS: Abdominal wall and incisional hernias present as a bulge in the “stomach” region of the abdomen. Sometimes it is at or near the area of a previous surgical incision. Having a previous “belly” operation can cause a hernia in or near the scar area. While these hernias can occur at any incision, they tend to occur more commonly along the line from the ribs down to the belly button or lower. They can be complex and contain the intestines. Hernias in these areas have a high rate of recurrence if repaired using simple sutures since sutures cause tension and tension leads to tearing. Mesh can be used to support the repair of these types of hernias, especially if sutures were only used to close your previous surgical incision. Dr. Edelman is experienced in fixing these hernias and can discuss with you the different options available. The 3 different techniques used are: open repair with mesh, laparoscopic repair with mesh and Robotic repair with mesh. After examining you in his office, he can recommend the safest repair for your hernia.