Hernia repair is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the U.S. Many people put off the surgery because of the recovery time. A new surgical mesh being used at the Baptist Hernia Center can be implanted with only a few small incisions and is drastically shortening recovery time.

A hernia is an opening in the muscles of the abdomen. They can cause bulging and pain. 53-year-old Dr. Landon Wellford suffered a hernia while trying to keep up with his 17-year-old son in the weight room. “I told him, ‘move over. I’ll show you how it’s done,’” says Wellford. “But when I went to push up the weight… oh my, I felt the hernia pop just like that.”

Wellford went to Mike Albrecht, M.D. at the Baptist Hernia Center to have his hernia fixed. “I’m a cardiologist, so I know where to go for the best,” says Wellford.

Albrecht used a new kind of mesh called PhysioMesh to patch the problem. It’s made out of a thin material that mimics the body’s natural tissue and allows the lining of the abdomen to actually grow into it. “The mesh covers the hole and reinforces the area,” says Albrecht.

Wellford had the outpatient procedure on a Friday and was back at work the following Monday, and says he only took three Tylenol for pain. Normal recovery for hernia surgery can be up to six weeks. The surgeons at the Baptist Hernia Center aim to have their patients back to normal activities in only two weeks.

For more information on The Baptist Hernia Center, located at Northeast Baptist Hospital, 8811 Village Dr., call 297-7005.