According to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), nearly 100,000 Australians are hospitalised for symptomatic hernia each year, with the vast majority of them ending up with surgical repair.

This is an extremely common condition that will affect 27% of men and around 3% of women throughout their lifetime.

Knowing that hernia repair is the most commonly performed procedure by general surgeons, complications such as hernia recurrence and chronic pain are still frequently encountered, mainly depending on the degree of experience of the surgeon. Since the turn of the millennium and following the introduction of minimally invasive (laparoscopic or “keyhole”) devices, there has been an unprecedented explosion and development of new surgical techniques in all aspects of general surgery, including hernia repair, translating into significant improvement of patient outcomes.

This said, complications in keyhole hernia surgery may be potentially more frequent and dangerous than those of open surgery, especially in inexperienced hands. This is the reason why dedicated international groups of hernia surgeons are continuously working together and sharing their personal knowledge through numerous high-quality medical publications, and highly regarded meetings and conferences, whilst at the same time creating specialised Hernia Centres for the benefit of their patients. “Abdominal Wall Reconstruction & Complex Hernia Repairs” is now recognised as an independent surgical subspecialty in Europe and North America.

That is why Prof. Christophe Berney has established the National Hernia Institute (NHI), an academic centre to provide a unique comprehensive state-of-the-art surgical treatment specifically customised for those who may require hernia repair, using the latest surgical techniques.

Multidisciplinary team

Prof Berney leads a multidisciplinary team of professionals with vast experience in the treatment and management of hernias. The NHI multidisciplinary team includes:

• Specialist Hernia Surgeons
• Radiology (US, CT, MRI)
• Intervention Radiologists
• Chronic Groin Pain Specialists
• Onsite Physiotherapists and Hydrotherapy Pool
• Excellent Specialist Nurses & Administrative Support

Who is Prof Berney?

Prof Berney is a highly qualified minimally invasive laparoscopic (keyhole) specialist and renowned international hernia surgeon with over 20 years of experience in the field of abdominal wall reconstruction. With more than 7,500 surgical procedures performed using this technique that he has refined over the years he will offer you outstanding results, with expected very high long-term satisfaction index and improved quality-of-Life.    

Meet Our Team