Do you feel pain while lifting heavy objects, bending over or when coughing?

Can you feel a bulge or noticeable lump in your abdomen or groin area? Does it disappear when you lie down?

Do you often feel a burning or aching sensation near the bulge accompanied by a feeling of pressure or heaviness?

If yes, then you might have a hernia. A hernia is a medical defect that occurs in the muscle or connective tissue. In a hernia, the abdominal contents protrude through a weakened area of the muscle or connective tissue that forms the abdominal wall between the ribs and groin area. They occur most commonly in the abdomen but can also appear in other areas, such as in the groin, upper thigh and belly button.

In general, a hernia is not dangerous but if left untreated, the pain can worsen and adversely affect the quality of your life. Besides this, complications are likely to occur, such as intestinal obstruction and strangulation, which can cause an emergency situation and be life-threatening. Therefore, if you have a hernia, it is advisable to schedule an appointment with a hernia surgeon in Louisville right away—without any delay.

It’s important to understand that a hernia does not get better on its own. Treatment is needed which usually involves surgery to repair the weakened abdominal wall. The decision as to who should treat your hernia is crucial to the surgical results and the entire experience associated with it. Selecting the right Louisville-based hernia surgeon can make all the difference. Knowing that you’re being treated by the right professional can make your experience smooth and stress-free. And this is why hernia patients in Louisville choose Dr. John Olsofka.

Here’s a quick overview of the top reasons to select Dr. John Olsofka for your hernia surgery:

20 Years of Experience

When it comes to selecting a hernia surgeon, it is imperative to ensure that the surgeon specializes in hernia repair. This is because there is no substitute for experience. In addition, surgical outcomes are significantly improved with surgical repetition and volume. This is especially true if the surgeon uses the Laparoscopic approach. Therefore, it’s important to work with an experienced surgeon like Dr. John Olsofka. Dr. Olsofka has 20 years of experience in this domain and a high success rate.

The perfect combination of his wealth of experience in handling thousands of cases related to a hernia, including emergency situations, solid medical knowledge, and skills enables him to perform hernia repair surgeries with utmost care, thereby minimizing the risk of complications.

Solid Credentials

Board certification is also a crucial element for a surgeon selection. It tells you a lot about the surgeon. It shows that they are qualified, have the necessary training, and skills to perform surgery. Furthermore, fellowship training involving the specific type of surgery that you need is also extremely valuable.

It can be difficult to find such a surgeon quickly as it may require a great deal of research but the most evident choice in Louisville for a surgeon with solid credentials is Dr. Olsofka. He is board-certified with the American Board of Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Rest assured, with him by your side, you can be confident that your case is in good hands.

Patient-Focused Approach

Another factor to consider is the approach and communication style of the surgeon with their patients. Patients with a hernia are going through a lot—physically, mentally and emotionally. And the thought of surgery can often get the best of them clouding their minds with tons of questions. This is when you need a patient-focused hernia surgeon, whom you can interact and communicate with openly and ask your queries comfortably. In other words, you need a surgeon who respects your decision-making process and is willing to answer all your concerns to your complete satisfaction. And that is exactly what you can expect from Dr. Olsofka.

Dr. Olsofka believes that patient and doctor communication is vital. Therefore, when you visit him for diagnosis, Dr. Olsofka will evaluate your case in detail and provide you with the best treatment in your case. From answering all of your questions to providing you with complete information regarding the type of a hernia you have, its causes, risks of delaying and benefits of undergoing a hernia repair surgery, and potential post-operative complications, surgical outcomes and how the procedure works.

The Type of Surgery

The type of surgery that the surgeon will perform is important to consider when making your selection.  It’s important to note that there are two types of surgical procedures for hernia repair: traditional open surgery and laparoscopy incisions. While most of the surgeons still rely on open surgery, there are a handful of surgeons who are skilled, well-trained and experienced in laparoscopy incisions—Dr. Olsofka is one of them. In fact, his research focus is also advanced laparoscopy and he has extensive involvement in numerous laparoscopic hernia repair clinical studies. Furthermore, he has also pioneered one of the first Lap-Band only bariatric programs in the US.

Laparoscopic hernia repair surgery offers a plethora of benefits, which includes fewer complications, minimal blood loss, reduced pain, lower risk of recurrence and fast recovery time.

For more information on this treatment or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Olsofka, contact us today.