Hernia repair is one of the most common types of surgery performed in the United States. A hernia can be repaired by a general surgeon by open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. In both methods, the hernia is identified and placed back into the abdomen. The weak tissue is then reinforced, most often with a synthetic mesh, to prevent the hernia from pushing through the weak spot again. The mesh acts like a patch on a hole in a tire. The use of mesh gives patients a “tension-free” repair, because the mesh provides a bridge to connect the gap in the tissue with few sutures instead of pulling the tissue together with multiple sutures.