What exactly is an inguinal hernia repair?

"Fix a Flat": An inguinal hernia is a hole in the abdominal wall thru which the inner lining stretches out, creating a sac. In kids, all that's needed is removal of the sac. In adult (men), the current standard is to close the hole with mesh, either from the outside-in (open, or traditional repair) or the inside-out (laparoscopic). Either way, it is out-patient surgery with a 3-6 week recovery 2 full activities.

Closing the hole: An inguinal hernia is a hole in the abdominal wall in one or more of three locations in the groin. When the hole permits transit of intra-abdominal contents, and requires repair, most techniques occlude the hole with some type of mesh using either the most common open, or less common laparoscopic technique.