Tuesday, March 24, 2008
Rebecca Shulman
(313) 916-5045
Rshulma1@hfhs.org

Grosse Pointe - The newly established Henry Ford Cottage Hospital Hernia Center is the first of its kind in Michigan and one of only a handful of centers exclusively dedicated to hernia repairs in the Midwest (the next closest hernia center is 70 miles away in Sylvania, Ohio.)

Hernia repair is the second most common surgical procedure performed in the United States, with an average of 700,000 outpatient surgeries done annually. Last year alone, Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) performed 2800 hernia repairs with outstanding outcomes.

"The creation of the Hernia Center at Henry Ford Cottage Hospital means patients will have access to a specialized team of surgeons and a dedicated staff whose primary  focus is providing the most advanced procedures and care for hernia repair," explains Thomas Knuth, M.D., Henry Ford Cottage Hospital Hernia Center surgeon. 

A hernia is a weakness or tear in the abdominal muscle which allows tissue or an organ, such as the intestines, to protrude through the weak area. This can cause a noticeable bulge under the skin, which most often results in significant pain and discomfort. The symptoms tend to worsen when additional strain occurs, such as standing for long periods, having a bowel movement, and/or lifting heavy objects. Hernias tend to be more common in men than women, but both genders are susceptible. 

"The Hernia Center at Henry Ford Cottage Hospital has optimized every step of repairing hernias for patients, with a focus on both clinical treatment and service, in order to ensure the best possible outcomes," says John Boccaccio, M.D., Henry Ford Cottage Hospital Hernia Center surgeon.

The new Henry Ford Cottage Hospital Hernia Center promises to offer patients the highest quality care for hernia repair. By specializing in hernia surgery, the center fills a unique niche in metro Detroit. While there are a hundred general surgeons within a 50 mile radius of Detroit who perform hernia repairs, there are currently no practices that specialize in hernia surgery.

At the Hernia Center, postoperative pain is minimized by a pain catheter that delivers local anesthetic directly into the incision for the first 48 hours. By the third day, patients report only some remaining discomfort, and within two weeks, can return to all post-surgery sports and activities.

The Henry Ford Cottage Hospital Hernia Center is conveniently located at 131 Kercheval Avenue, Suite 150, in Grosse Pointe Farms.