Hernia Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center

Hernias don't need to disrupt everyday life. We can help. Nuvance Health hernia specialists personalize your care program and use minimally invasive techniques. Click below to schedule a hernia consultation with our nationally recognized surgeons.

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Conveniently located in Poughkeepsie, NY, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, part of Nuvance Health®, you have access to hernia surgery close to home. We deliver trusted care for many types of hernia–even rare and complicated cases.  

Hernia Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center: Why Choose Us?

We are one of the few programs in New York’s Hudson Valley providing care for all hernia types. You receive services from nationally recognized surgeons specializing in hernia repair. Highlights of our program include:

  • Minimally invasive surgery
    Center of Excellence Robotic Surgery Award SealWe often use robotic surgical technologies to repair hernias through small incisions for a quicker recovery. Surgeons use evidence-based methods and consistently achieve outstanding results. This level of performance has earned many Nuvance Health hospitals Center of Excellence accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation.
  • Complex hernia repair
    Nuvance Health offers the Hudson Valley one of the few programs in the region capable of treating the most severe cases. Some surgeons have additional training in treating large recurring hernias. We regularly help patients who have been suffering for years to achieve lasting relief. Explore complex hernia repair (abdominal wall reconstruction).
  • Safety
    Hernia surgery often involves mesh, an implantable net-like material that strengthens abdominal tissue while it heals. Nuvance Health specialists use mesh products that meet our high care standards and have a longstanding reputation for good results. Very few patients experience infections or reactions to the product we use.

Meet the team

Lee Farber, DO - Nuvance Health Hernia Care, West
Lee Farber, DO

Hernia Repair Specialist

Dr. Lee Farber is a board-certified, minimally invasive surgery fellowship-trained general surgeon who specializes in advanced robotic and laparoscopic surgery for complex hernia repair. His focus includes upper gastrointestinal disorders (such as esophageal disorders, hiatal hernias, diaphragmatic hernias and gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD), as well as both simple and complex, primary and recurrent inguinal, abdominal wall and parastomal hernias, and abdominal wall reconstructions. He is a leader and instructor in robotic surgery and hernia surgery. Dr. Farber is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeons as well as the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. He is a member of multiple leading international surgical organizations, such as the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Hernia Society. He is a frequent invited speaker at multiple annual surgical conferences lecturing on topics of robotic surgery, complex hernia repairs as well as surgery for acid reflux and esophageal disorders. Dr. Farber firmly believes in a patient-centered approach to surgery, with the patient and their family at the core. The focus is to align his goals and objectives with that of his patients when it comes to their evaluation and potential surgical options. He believes in the osteopathic approach with a whole-person focus to medicine concentrating on prevention, helping promote the body's natural tendency toward health and self-healing and offering surgery when appropriate. 
Roberto Arias Gautreaux, MD
Roberto Arias, MD

Brian Binetti, MD - Nuvance Health Hernia Care, West
Brian Binetti, MD

John Choi, MD - Nuvance Health Hernia Care, West
John Choi, MD

Sanjay Thomas, MD - Nuvance Health Hernia Care, West
Sanjay Thomas, MD

Types of Hernia We Treat

A hernia is a hole in your abdominal muscle wall, groin, side, and or back. It allows tissue to poke or bulge through. Some are small and not bothersome. But others cause discomfort and appearance changes, making it challenging to go about daily life. We deliver exceptional care for: 

 

Common hernias

  • Femoral hernia: Tissue that protrudes through a hole in your groin (upper inner thigh)
  • Hiatal hernia: Hole in the diaphragm that causes stomach tissue to push up against the lower chest
  • Inguinal hernia (most common): Weak spot in the lower abdominal wall allowing fat or part of the small intestine to poke through
  • Umbilical hernia: Tissue pushes through an opening near the belly button

Rare hernias

  • Incisional hernia: After stomach surgery, tissue comes through a weak spot near the incision
  • Paraesophageal hernia: Stomach tissue squeezes through a hole in the diaphragm and ends up near the esophagus 
  • Spigelian hernia: Tissue that pokes through an opening in the Spigelian fascia, a layer of tissue separating muscles near the front of the abdomen
  • Ventral hernia: Loop of intestine pushes through the abdominal wall near the abdomen’s vertical center


Hernia Care Consultation

Hernias often require surgery. But seeing a hernia specialist doesn’t always mean you’ll end up with a surgery date. The decision of when to have surgery is yours. We give you the information and support to make the right choice for your needs.

You undergo a thorough evaluation that may include imaging studies. We explain the type of hernia, how severe it is and what you can do about it. If it’s small and not causing symptoms, you may opt to delay a repair procedure. For complex hernias, getting surgery sooner can help you feel better and avoid complications, like intestine damage.


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