Open Hernia Surgery in Punjab, India: Lichtenstein Mesh Repair for the Right Patient

Last updated 2026-11-08 · Medically reviewed by Dr Raman Garg · Punjab, India

20+ years | 10,000+ laparoscopic surgeries | 1,000+ hernia repairs | Cashless insurance | OPD Mon to Sat 10 AM to 5 PM

What is open hernia surgery? (Hernia ka open operation)

In open surgery the surgeon makes one cut, about 6 to 8 cm long, directly over the hernia. He finds the sac, returns the bowel to the belly and covers the weak wall with a mesh. For a groin hernia the standard method is the Lichtenstein repair, named after the surgeon who described it. A flat mesh is laid over the floor of the groin and held with a few stitches, without pulling the muscle tight. This is why it is called a tension-free repair.

The same open approach is used for navel, belly wall and some incisional hernias, with the mesh placed in front of or behind the muscle. Read about mesh hernia repair.

A surgeon who offers only one method will push that method. Dr Raman Garg does both open and keyhole repair, so he can recommend the one that is right for you and not the one that is easier for him.

Who is open surgery right for?

Keyhole repair is a strong choice for most patients, yet open surgery is often the better one. Dr Raman Garg may advise it when:

• Your heart or lungs cannot safely take long general anaesthesia and gas in the belly.
• You are elderly or frail and a short operation under spinal or local anaesthesia is safer.
• You have had several earlier belly or pelvic operations, with dense scar tissue inside.
• The hernia has been stuck and the bowel needs direct inspection, depending on the case.
• You are on blood thinners that cannot be stopped for long.
• You have a one-sided, uncomplicated hernia and want the lower price.
• A small navel hernia needs only a small cut.

Here is a typical story. A 78-year-old retired teacher from Sangrur has a right groin hernia, a weak heart and diabetes. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthesia is not his safest route. A 40-minute open repair under spinal anaesthesia is. Read the guide on hernia surgery in elderly patients.

Causes and symptoms (Hernia ke lakshan)

A hernia forms when the belly wall is weak and pressure pushes tissue through. Heavy lifting, chronic cough, constipation, straining while passing urine, obesity, pregnancy and earlier surgery are the usual causes.

• A lump in the groin, navel or belly that appears on standing or coughing.
• A dragging ache, burning or a heavy feeling.
• A lump that goes back when you lie down.
• A lump in the scrotum in men with a groin hernia.

Go to the nearest hospital the same day for sudden severe pain, a hard lump that will not go back, vomiting, fever, redness or no gas or stool. Then call BGCI on +91 82641-60001. Emergency care support is available 24/7. See emergency hernia surgery.

How Dr Raman Garg diagnoses your hernia

Dr Raman Garg examines you standing, with a cough. He checks both groins and the navel. An ultrasound confirms the diagnosis in doubtful or small hernias. A CT scan is used only for large, recurrent or unclear hernias. Before surgery you need blood tests, an ECG and a chest X-ray, and for high-risk patients a heart and lung check. See hernia diagnosis tests.

Note: These are typical Punjab costs for 2026. The final cost may vary after Dr Raman Garg examines you, depending on the hernia type, size, number of sides, mesh used and your health.

Treatment options: without surgery and with surgery

A hernia does not heal on its own. A belt, exercise or any desi ilaj cannot close the gap. A hernia belt supports it temporarily only. A small, painless groin hernia in an older man may be watched for a while, with weight control and clear warning signs. For most people, repair is the sensible choice once the lump grows or hurts. The decision then is between open and keyhole surgery. Read can a hernia heal without surgery and TAPP and TEP keyhole repair.

Open or keyhole? A side-by-side comparison

Both methods use a mesh and both work well when done by a skilled surgeon. The honest difference is recovery speed and price, not safety in the right patient. Read about laparoscopic hernia surgery.

Anaesthesia options: local, spinal or general

This is where open surgery helps high-risk patients most.

• Local anaesthesia with light sedation. The groin is numbed with injections. You are awake or drowsy, feel no pain and can go home early. Suitable for frail, elderly or heart and lung patients with a small or medium hernia.
• Spinal anaesthesia. An injection in the lower back numbs the body from the waist down for a few hours. You stay awake or lightly sedated. It avoids the effects of general anaesthesia on the lungs. You need to lie flat for some hours as told, and passing urine can be slow at first.
• General anaesthesia. You sleep through the surgery. It is used for large or complex open repairs or if you prefer it.

The anaesthetist reviews you the day before and decides with Dr Raman Garg. Read spinal or general anaesthesia for hernia surgery.

The operation step by step (Hernia ka operation kaise hota hai)

• Anaesthesia. Local, spinal or general, as planned.
• The cut. One cut of about 6 to 8 cm in the groin crease, over the hernia.
• Reaching the hernia. The layers are opened with care to protect the cord and the nerves.
• The sac. The sac is freed. The bowel or fat goes back into the belly, and the sac is tied off or returned.
• The mesh. A flat mesh is placed over the floor of the groin and fixed with a few stitches, without tension.
• Checking. You are asked to cough, if awake, to confirm the repair holds.
• Closure. The layers are closed one by one and the skin is closed neatly.

A one-sided groin repair usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes. A larger or both-sided repair takes longer. For navel and belly wall hernias the steps are the same, with the mesh placed behind or in front of the muscle. See umbilical hernia surgery.

Before surgery: your checklist

• Finish blood tests, ECG and chest X-ray.
• Show every medicine to the doctor, especially blood thinners, sugar tablets and BP medicines.
• Keep sugar and BP in control. See surgery for diabetes, BP and heart patients.
• Stop tobacco as early as you can.
• Follow the fasting instructions given by the anaesthetist.
• Bring your insurance card, ID and reports.
• Arrange one family member to stay with you.

Day of surgery timeline

• Morning: arrival, final check and the anaesthetist meets you.
• Operation: about 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the case.
• Recovery room: monitoring until the numbness of spinal or local anaesthesia wears off.
• Evening: sips of water, light food and a short walk with help.
• Next day: doctor review. Most open repair patients go home on day 1 or 2.

Recovery timeline

Follow-up is by phone or video. See the hernia surgery recovery guide.

Risks and how they are handled

Open repair is a common and safe operation. Every surgery still has some risk, and Dr Raman Garg explains these before you consent.

• Wound infection: lowered by sugar control, clean technique and antibiotics when needed.
• Bruising, swelling and fluid collection: common and usually settle with time.
• Numbness or pain in the groin: nerves run close to the repair. Careful handling lowers this risk.
• Testicular swelling: some men have this after groin repair. It usually settles.
• Slow urine after spinal anaesthesia: the team watches and treats it.
• Hernia coming back: lowered by proper mesh size and a tension-free technique.

Call us the same day for fever, redness, pus or sudden swelling.

Cost of open hernia surgery in Punjab (Hernia operation ka kharcha)

Note: These are typical Punjab costs for 2026. The final cost may vary after Dr Raman Garg examines you, depending on the hernia type, size, number of sides, mesh used and your health.

Published ranges from Mohali and Chandigarh hospitals put open inguinal mesh repair at about Rs 25,000 to 60,000 and laparoscopic repair at about Rs 45,000 to 1,20,000. Big-city metro hospitals often charge more. Keyhole repair costs more than open because of equipment and mesh, but patients return to work 1 to 2 weeks earlier. See hernia surgery cost in Punjab.

Insurance and cashless treatment

BGCI is empanelled with almost all major insurance companies and TPAs, including Aditya Birla Health Insurance, Niva Bupa, Digit Insurance, Care Health Insurance, Vidal Health TPA, ICICI Lombard, Raksha TPA, Future Generali, SBI General Insurance, Oriental Insurance, Liberty General Insurance, IFFCO Tokio, Cholamandalam MS, Medi Assist TPA, and almost all other major insurers and TPAs.

• Send your policy card and reports on WhatsApp.
• The insurance desk checks your cover.
• Pre-authorisation goes to your insurer.
• After approval you are treated cashless within the approved limit.

Ayushman Bharat card? Call us with your card details and our insurance desk will tell you the same day how your card can be used. See hernia surgery insurance.

Facilities at BGCI

• Modern laparoscopic operation theatre.
• Advanced endoscopy and colonoscopy suite.
• Fully equipped in-house diagnostic laboratory.
• Comfortable patient rooms.
• 24/7 emergency care support.
• Cashless insurance desk.
• Stitchless laparoscopic technique with skin glue.
• Same-day walking and discharge within 24 hours for most keyhole repairs.
• One surgeon from consultation to follow-up.
• Online pre-arrival consultation for NRI and out-of-town patients.

A good hernia hospital should offer both open and keyhole repair, an in-house lab, emergency support and an insurance desk. BGCI covers every item. See the hernia hospital in Punjab page.

Why patients choose Dr Raman Garg

Dr Raman Garg is a Surgical Gastroenterologist and Laparoscopic Hernia Surgeon with 20+ years of experience, 10,000+ laparoscopic surgeries and 1,000+ laparoscopic hernia repairs. He holds an MBBS from Government Medical College, Patiala, an MS in General Surgery from Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, and a DNB in Surgical Gastroenterology from Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, with a Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and training in Seoul, South Korea. He is a member of IAGES and AMASI. Because he masters both open and keyhole methods, his advice is about your safety and not about a technique. Read about Dr Raman Garg and hernia surgery in Bathinda.

Patients we see from your area

Approximate road distance and drive time from BGCI: Talwandi Sabo about 30 km, 45 min; Mansa about 50 km, 1 hr; Muktsar about 55 km, 1 hr 10 min; Faridkot about 65 km, 1 hr 20 min; Barnala about 70 km, 1 hr 30 min; Sangrur about 95 km, 2 hr; Sirsa about 95 km, 2 hr; Hanumangarh about 110 km, 2 hr 30 min; Patiala about 125 km, 2 hr 30 min. See the areas we serve.

How to book

• Call or WhatsApp +91 82641-60001 (or +91 99885-03800) and send your reports.
• Choose an OPD day: Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Sunday is emergency only.
• Meet Dr Raman Garg and get your plan, anaesthesia choice and written estimate.
• Fix the date, finish tests and pre-authorisation.

Address: Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute, Power House Road, Near Street No. 10, Bathinda, Punjab 151001, India. Email: bgcibathinda@gmail.com. Emergency care support is available 24/7 on +91 82641-60001. You can book an appointment online.

Related pages

Inguinal hernia surgery | Umbilical hernia surgery | Laparoscopic hernia surgery | Hernia surgery in Punjab

Medically reviewed by Dr Raman Garg. Last updated: 8 November 2026. This page is general information; your plan is set after Dr Raman Garg examines you.