General Practitioners

• Primary Care
  If the patient is symptomatic for Covid-19 we postpone the surgery for an additional 14 days past the resolution of their symptoms. They are referred to their primary care physician for evaluation.
• Constipation

Radiologist

• Ultrasound
  An abdominal / ventral hernia can be diagnosed by a physician during physical examination. The hallmark is the presence of a bulge on the abdominal wall that may or may not be reducible. Radiographic imaging is not always necessary to diagnose an abdominal / ventral hernia. If the diagnosis is uncertain, then an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI may be performed. If you have been diagnosed with an abdominal / ventral hernia, you should consult a hernia specialist.
• MRI
  Diagnosis of a sports hernia is determined by the patient’s health history and a physical examination. Tests may be performed to rule out other causes for the groin pain. An MRI can be used to detect a sports hernia, but it’s not always positive. More often, simple methods will tell, such as having the patient perform an activity like sit-ups or a straight leg lift. If the patient’s pain intensifies during these movements, it’s likely a sports hernia is the culprit.
• Computed Tomography
  A femoral hernia is typically diagnosed by a surgeon on physical examination. Since the difference between femoral and inguinal hernias is so slight, it is often difficult to tell the two apart and often times a hernia surgeon is needed to make a proper diagnosis. It is possible to have both an inguinal and femoral hernia at the same time. In some cases X-ray such as a CT scan is utilized to diagnose a femoral hernia.

Surgeons

• General Surgery
  Premier hernia specialists Drs. David and Michael Albin are the only father-son team in the nation treating patients together. They are dedicated to innovative techniques and the most effective hernia surgery possible. Both doctors are Certified by the American Board of General Surgery and Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. The combined team has performed over 20,000 hernia operations. Drs. David and Michael Albin are active members of the American Hernia Society and the International Hernia Society where they serve as presenters and moderators to both of these highly esteemed organizations. Together they operate the Hernia Center of Southern California which is the go to Hernia Center for the Los Angeles, Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, Homeland Security, professional, non-professional and college athletes and well-known celebrities.
• Vascular Surgery
  An incisional hernia, as the name suggests, occurs at the site of a previous incision in the abdominal wall. This type of hernia is the result of the muscles around the old incision breaking down. Incisional hernias can range in size from small (1 inch) to large (8 inches). An incisional hernia can occur immediately following surgery, or may not become apparent for years. The most common procedures which result in an incisional hernia are intestinal surgery, vascular surgery, an appendectomy or laparoscopy. Surgeons, nationwide, often refer their patients to the Hernia Center of Southern California due to our high rate of success with repairing incisional hernias.
• Laparoscopy
  Since suturing (tension) can be the cause of some incisional hernias, it is highly advised that incisional hernias be repaired with the open “tension free” mesh technique to avoid future recurrence. Incisional hernia repairs may also be performed using laparoscopy. With the open technique, or laparoscopy, the herniated tissue is pushed back inside, then the mesh is placed against the interior abdominal wall. The entire area is then reinforced and strengthened by extending the mesh so it reaches well beyond the hernia’s edge. Large and/or complex incisional hernias often require general anesthesia instead of local anesthesia. A comprehensive examination and evaluation are recommended to correctly outline the operational approach involving large and/or complex incisional hernias for each individual.

Plastic Surgeons

• Laparoscopic Surgery
  Laparoscopic surgery requires general anesthesia. The complication rate and the amount of time needed to return to work are the same with laparoscopic surgery as compared to the open technique.

Physical Therapists

• Physical Therapy
  Umbilical hernias do not heal independently or “just go away”. They cannot be fixed with diet, exercise or physical therapy. And beware of false claims you see on the internet – there are no pills you can take to make any hernia go away. Surgery is necessary to repair an umbilical hernia. Umbilical hernia repair methods are customized to meet each patient’s individual needs. The majority of our patients receive the open “tension-free” mesh technique. Umbilical hernias surgery can be performed by our hernia surgeons with and without mesh as well as the laparoscopic method.