For years, surgeons have been struggling to find the best way to avoid the greatest harm in patients with incidentally identified hernias. Avoiding harm in this case is easy — it can best be accomplished by counseling and educating patients and only repairing hernias that cause symptoms. |
It's a reality check for those patients who are considering these operations, |
Patients aged 65 or older face a nearly three-fold increase in the risk of early mortality, |
There are certain people who are at higher risk within that Medicare group. Men, for example, have a much higher risk, nearly double the risk of women, and people with other medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, |
This is a major operation in a high-risk population. |
We've really moved far away from preventive surgery, and this is another example of that. |
with their eyes open. |