A hernia is an abnormal opening, either within the abdomen, or through the abdominal wall muscles.
An internal hernia may result from surgery, and rearrangement of the bowel, and is mainly significant as a cause of bowel obstruction. An incisional hernia occurs when a surgical incision does not heal well; the muscles of the abdomen separate and allow protrusion of a sac-like membrane, which may contain bowel or other abdominal contents, and which can be painful and unsightly.
The risk of abdominal wall hernia is markedly decreased in laparoscopic surgery.