General Surgery - Barton Johnson

Back to Work, Family & Life After Hernia Surgery

Several months before his Annual Wellness check-up, Barton Johnson, 38, began feeling tenderness and a noticeable bulge in his left groin that had started slowing him down.

After hernia repair surgery Johnson is back to work for A&M, ranching and spending time with his family. “I feel awesome,” he says. “At first it was just a little twinge,” the Gatesville resident says. “I thought it would subside, but I was wrong.”

An MRI found an inguinal hernia, which is a gap in the muscle near the groin. In Johnson’s case, part of the bowel protruded through the gap.

Johnson turned to general surgeon John Bawduniak, MD, FACS, at Coryell Health.

“He’s such a good guy, and his technique is awesome,” Johnson says. “He’ll give you all the time you need and explains things very thoroughly and to the point. The surgical team took great care of me before and after the surgery.”

A common concern

Dr. Bawduniak says inguinal hernias are common in both men and women, because the groin is a naturally weak space in the human anatomy.

“We usually recommend surgery, because once you have a hernia, it doesn’t go away,” Dr. Bawduniak. “If your job requires heavy lifting, or ranch, as Barton’s does, the hernia will just get bigger, leading to more complications.”

Dr. Bawduniak performed a classic hernia repair, which required only 2 inch incision near Johnson’s waistline. During the outpatient procedure, the surgeon places mesh over the gap in the muscle, and over the next couple months, scar tissue forms to keep the gap closed.

Life post-surgery

Johnson was only in the hospital a few hours, and immediately he noticed the bulge was gone and as the weeks passed, his pain disappeared.

“I’m happy with the surgery and especially with the outcome. I would highly recommend Dr. Bawduniak and Coryell Memorial Surgery to anyone,” says Johnson.