It wasn’t the ideal start to 2019. Barb Peine had hernia surgery, and two months later her husband, Joe, underwent his own hernia surgery. But a few months after, both are thankful they are feeling better than they have in years.

Barb is a 17-year ovarian cancer survivor. When she required hernia repair, she was referred to Michael P. Davoren, MD, FACS, a board-certified surgeon with Olathe Health Midwest Surgical Associates.

There are two main types of hernia surgery: open and laparoscopic. Olathe Health surgeons are highly skilled at performing both types of surgery. Depending on the patient, the type of hernia and the extent of repair required, our surgeons determine which type of surgery is best suited for their patient. Because of the amount of scar tissue that had built up in Barb’s abdomen from previous surgeries, Dr. Davoren elected to perform an open surgical repair. During an open surgical repair, the surgeon makes an incision near the hernia and sets the protruding tissue back in place, using stitches and sometimes mesh to provide support.

“The first few days were tough after my surgery, I won’t lie,” Barb said. “But as I healed, I felt better every day. Dr. Davoren was just the best at listening to me and caring for me.”

It was during one of Barb’s post-op appointments with Dr. Davoren that Joe finally worked up the courage to ask about his hernia, which had been troubling him for a few years.

“I said, ‘hey Doc, do you think you might be able to fix this?'” Joe laughed. Dr. Davoren examined Joe and scheduled surgery a few weeks later.

“I spent years worrying about going to the doctor and having surgery, and after all that it was really so easy,” Joe said. “I just wish I hadn’t waited so long to get it fixed.”

Dr. Davoren was able to repair Joe’s hernia laparoscopically. In a laparoscopic repair, the surgeon guides small instruments through one or more tiny incisions. Guided by a tiny video camera attached to the laparoscope, the surgeon repairs the hernia. Joe was home recovering a few days afterward.

“I’ll be honest, I was a big chicken going in-but it was no big deal,” Joe said. “Everyone in surgery was so good in easing my fear, and I had no pain after. I just felt so good.”

Ten days after his surgery, Joe was back on his tractor (with Dr. Davoren’s approval) helping feed the cattle on his ranch. Barb is feeling great too, and the two of them are looking forward to spending their first vacation together in years this fall.

“It was a pleasure to care for Joe and Barb,” Dr. Davoren said. “Each of their hernias was different, so the surgical treatment for each was different. They both had excellent results. Their cases illustrate how our commitment to providing the right surgery to the right patient at the right time results in the best outcome for our patients.”

To learn more about general surgery options, visit olathehealth.org/surgery or call 913-791-4396.