A hernia is the protrusion of an internal organ from a weak point in the body. Because these weak points are most commonly found in the inguinal areas, umbilicus, and surgical incision sites; hernias occur mostly at these locations. It is a common disease in the practice of general surgery. A hernia occurs in every 2-5 patients out of 100. Inguinal hernias account for 90% of abdominal wall hernias.

No treatment options other than surgery exist for patients diagnosed with a hernia. In the past, weak tissues were sutured together during the operation. The likelihood of recurrences was 15%. Currently, the recurrence rate has been reduced to almost 1% with the use of synthetic patches (mesh), eliminating the surgery-associated local tension at the operation site.

In recent years, open surgery for the treatment of hernias has been successfully replaced by the laparoscopic methods.