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The Best Surgeons for Hernia Repair

At the helm of our medical center is Theodore Khalili, MD, FACS, founder and Director of Weight Loss Surgery of Southern California. He is an esteemed surgeon, highly-trained in robotic single-incision inguinal hernia repair. Dr. Khalili has also trained several surgeons in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair and other minimally-invasive surgical procedures.

Our team of doctors has some of the best board-certified hernia surgeons in Los Angeles. Learn more about our doctors here and see how they can help fix your hernia issues. At the forefront is Dr. Khalili who is known for his training in robotic single-incision inguinal hernia repair.

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My name is Dr. Theodore Khalili, surgeon and founder of Weight Loss Surgery of Southern California. I founded the Center because I have dedicated my life-long professional work to patient care. My approach to patient-centric partnerships and service-oriented facilities offer a comprehensive and holistic approach to bariatric treatment – all in one place.

I believe that patient care does not end right after surgery – it’s only the beginning. I founded the Center to give patients access to a supportive community that guides them through each step of the weight loss journey. We work with a team of registered dieticians, psychologists and general doctors to create tailored, best-in-class care available.

I have performed over 8,000 bariatric surgeries…

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Dr. Theodore M. Khalili,
Founder and Director
Khalili Center for Bariatric Care


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When to Consider Hernia Surgery

The Khalili Center physicians can quickly diagnose a hernia. Usually, a bulge forms under the skin if a person has a hernia. These individuals may experience severe pain when engaging in strenuous activities, coughing, standing, or sitting for long periods. Some people with hernia may also feel a strain during urination or bowel movements.

An entrapped or strangulated hernia is characterized by severe and continuous pain, redness, and tenderness. This type of hernia can be life-threatening. If these symptoms occur, consult your doctor immediately. Hernias’ causes are unknown. However, risk factors include heavy-lifting, genes, and a family history of hernias.

There are different types of hernia, classified according to where they occur:

  • Inguinal hernia – affects the groin area. This hernia type is more common in males and could go as far as the scrotum. The males’ weak spot is usually the inguinal canal. Inguinal hernia in males also affects the spermatic cord.
  • Femoral hernia – a hernia in the upper thigh more common in females.
  • Hiatal hernia or hiatus hernia – a hernia that causes a portion of the stomach to push up into an opening (hiatus) in the diaphragm.
  • Incisional hernia – happens through a scar from a past abdominal surgery.
  • Umbilical hernia – a hernia in the belly button.
  • Ventral hernia – a bulge in an opening on the abdominal muscles.
  • Paraesophageal hernia – the lower part of the esophagus, other organs, or the stomach move up into the chest.

A hernia should be immediately treated if it is causing other medical conditions. Hiatal hernias cause abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, and bloating. A hiatal hernia may also result in the development of heartburn, chest pain, acid reflux symptoms, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Acid reflux happens when stomach acids move from the stomach back to the esophagus. You should consider hiatal hernia surgery if the hernia is already affecting another part of the stomach. 

Antacids and lifestyle changes can only do so much to manage GERD. We recommend checking with your doctor if surgery is needed. The Khalili Center offers general surgery, such as anti-reflux surgery to fix GERD and related diseases affecting the lower esophageal sphincter. This surgical procedure is also called the laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.

 


Preparing for Hernia Surgery

Experts at the Khalili Center will make sure that you get the preoperative preparation done to ensure that the procedure goes smoothly. Blood work, medical evaluation, chest X-rays, and electrocardiogram (ECG) are required by our surgeons, depending on your age and medical condition.

We also request our clients to observe the following:

  • The night before the operation, you should refrain from eating or drinking anything except for medicines our surgeons have prescribed.
  • Some medications, like aspirin, pain medications, blood thinners, arthritis medicines, diet medication, St. John’s wort supplements, and vitamin E, should be stopped temporarily weeks before the surgery.
  • If you smoke, you should at least temporarily stop smoking.

Before any surgery, we also ensure that you get all the health information you need.


What to Expect During Hernia Surgery

 A hernia surgery is performed to treat a hernia. A hernia happens when the abdominal muscle wall’s inner layers have weakened, and a bulge or tear forms. The abdomen’s inner lining pushes through the abdominal wall‘s weakened area. It then gives rise to a small balloon-like sac. Surgical procedures vary depending on where the hernia is located. Hernia surgeries include groin hernia repair, inguinal hernia repair surgery, open hernia repair, hiatal hernia repair, or ventral hernia repair.

The Khalili Center’s surgeons give a comprehensive assessment to determine the type of surgery appropriate for you. Our surgeons perform herniorrhaphy (tissue repair) by creating a long incision over the hernia and using traditional surgical techniques to open it. Organs and surrounding tissues are temporarily removed until the hernia sac has been taken out. After sterilization, the wound is stitched shut.

Another surgical procedure, called hernioplasty (mesh repair), is a tension-free hernia repair. After the surgical repair, our hernia surgeon covers the muscle opening with a sterile mesh then stitches the patch into the healthy surrounding tissues. Sometimes, emergency surgery is required, as a hernia may cause strangulation of the intestine. If an open surgery or laparoscopic procedure is not performed immediately, a portion of the intestine loses its blood supply. This portion of the contained intestine eventually dies.

Some patients worry about the use of general anesthesia or local anesthesia. Our surgeons have been trained to perform any operation skillfully using all types of anesthesia. General anesthesia affects the entire body, while local anesthesia has


Hernia Surgery Risks

Our qualified surgeons do their best to ensure that your hernia surgery is risk-free. Hernia repair through laparoscopic surgery is not a serious operation and is regarded as generally safe. Patients who undergo laparoscopic hernia repair also experience less pain during surgery.

At the Khalili Center, the survival rate of the procedure is high. However, as with any operation, post-surgery complications may arise, including:

  • Bleeding or blood clots
  • Infection
  • Injury to the intestines, blood vessels, urinary bladder, nerves, or the sperm tube going to the testicle (in males)
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Hernia recurrence (recurrence rate is low, but this incident is possible)

Laparoscopic repair is a minimally-invasive procedure that involves surgeons using a laparoscope during surgery. This device is a long and thin tube with a tiny, high-resolution camera positioned at the front. The laparoscope is also used during laparoscopy to examine connective tissues and organs inside the abdomen. 

Choose the Khalili Center for Hernia Repair

With our center’s proven success rate and our cutting-edge equipment, your hospital stay is guaranteed to be shortened. Recovery time is also smooth with our best-in-class surgical care, so you should be doing normal activities in less time. 

If you have questions about your procedure, we welcome follow-up consultations. The Khalili Center also offers insurance verification to determine if your insurance company can cover surgery costs.

Clients from all over Southern California choose us for their hernia surgery. We also serve clients from Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Glendale, and surrounding areas in Southern California.  Some surgery centers require you to wait for months. At the Khalili Center, we believe that healing shouldn’t be delayed– especially for patients with severe cases.

Skip the waiting lists and visit us at 9033 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 200 Beverly Hills, California 90211 or call 310-858-1242 today.

Your Journey to Overcoming Obesity Starts Here.

Weight loss surgery is a tool to reset your life.

Our comprehensive program is everything you need to set you up for your new life and to keep the weight off. All you have to to find out if we’re right for you is to book an appointment.