How long will I be in the hospital for hernia surgery?

In this video FAQ about hernia surgery, Dr. Nora Fullington answers the question - How long will I be in the hospital?
Usually hernia surgery can be completed in the outpatient setting - meaning patients can come into the hospital, have their surgery, and go home all in the same day. That said, the exact amount of time that is needed during that day will depend on the type of hernia repair you have, what anesthesia you have, and your medical and surgical history. Straight forward hernia surgery is usually under one hour. With the addition of about an hour and a half of preparation for going into surgery and 1.5-3 hours of recovery after surgery, patients are usually in the hospital for about 4-6 hours in total. Those who have had a previous repair and have hernia recurrence, those who have had previous (non-hernia repair) operations in the area, those who have more weight in their abdomen, those who have medical conditions that require more monitoring can require longer surgery time and longer time in recovery.
Of course, each person is different and different hospitals/outpatient settings can have different protocols, so talking to a hernia specialist is important.
Dr. Nora Fullington is a hernia surgeon, hernia specialist, and abdominal core health specialist at Boston Hernia.