Answer:

Thank you for your question! As you may know, hernias are not uncommon inyoung males. A hernia results when a weakness in a part of the abdominal wall allows a small loop of intestine to move in and out of its normal position. Hernias are not usually a problem unless the loop of intestine is trapped outside of its normal location and the blood supply is reduced or cut off. Then what was a simple problem can become very serious.

Even though this is not a frequent occurance, it does happen often enough that it is better to repair a hernia than to ignore it for a long time. If there is no reason to avoid elective surgery (elective surgery is surgery that is not an emergency and can be done just about any time) , such as a serious heart or lung problem, a hernia repair at your son's age is probably a good idea, since it might become more of a problem as he matures. It is important to check with his doctor about this question, since his doctor will know your son's medical history better than any one else. Hernia repairs are not major surgery and there is very little risk associated with them, as you know from his first operation. We hope this information has been helpful!

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