A hernia exists where part of the abdominal wall is weakened and the contents of the abdomen push through to the outside. This is most commonly seen in the groin area but can occur in other places. Surgical treatment is usually straightforward and involves returning the abdominal contents to the inside before reinforcing the abdominal wall in some way. Most commonly this involves a minimally invasive operation to repair the hernia with a small piece of plastic mesh (laparoscopic hernia repair). This is a day case procedure and most patients return to full activities within a week of surgery.