An inguinal hernia is a bulge that forms when organs or tissue push through an opening or weak spot in nearby muscle walls. Inguinal hernia repair is a surgical procedure that pushes the bulge back into place and strengthens the weakness in the abdominal wall. The operation is usually recommended if you have a hernia that causes pain, severe or persistent symptoms, or if any serious complications develop. The surgery can be performed as either open surgery or laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. During open surgery, the surgeon makes a cut in the groin to view and repair the hernia. After repairing the hernia, the surgeon uses stitches alone or stitches and a piece of mesh to close the abdominal wall. The mesh is designed to strengthen the weak area of the abdominal wall where the hernia occurred. During laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes several small cuts in the lower abdomen and inserts special tools to view and repair the hernia. The surgeon typically uses a piece of mesh to close and strengthen the abdominal wall. Both procedures are equally suitable for inguinal hernia repair in men, but laparoscopic surgery is more commonly recommended because it has a few advantages. The operation usually takes about 45 minutes. The patient can usually return home after two days at the latest, and its often possible to go home on the same day as the surgery. Complications are rare, but side effects such as pain or inflammation are possible. Pain resulting from surgery in the groin area usually goes away within a few days, but about 10 out of 100 people have long-term pain following surgery. This may be caused by nerve damage or reactions to the synthetic mesh.