The Hernia Institute™ A Centre of Excellence at Bawa Hospital Evidence-Based · Tailored Care
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Chapter 01 · The Institute

A wall, repaired. A patient, returned to posture.

Founded and led by Dr. Ashvind Bawa — MS, FACS, AHS Gimbernat Award recipient (2022), ACS International Scholar, and former Professor & Head of Surgery Unit at DMC&H. A Centre of Excellence inside Bawa Hospital, Ludhiana — part of the city's medical fraternity since 1940, engineered around a single discipline.

Book a Consultation → Our Protocols
AHSGimbernat Award 2022
ACSInternational Scholar
16yrsProfessor & Unit Head, DMC&H
1stOf its kind in India
Dr. Ashvind Bawa, MS FACS — Founder of The Hernia Institute™ and Director of Surgical Services, Bawa Hospital, Ludhiana
Dr. Ashvind Bawa
MS · FACS · Founder, The Hernia Institute™
AHS Gimbernat Award · American Hernia Society, 2022
ACS International Scholar · American College of Surgeons
16 Years · Professor & Head of Unit, Surgery, DMC&H

A hernia centre is not a hospital — it is a discipline. Every operation here is informed by experience, grounded in evidence, and performed by surgeons whose focus is the abdominal wall.

— Founding Note
Dr. Ashvind Bawa · MS, FACS
Evidence-Based
Guideline-led care
Every operation grounded in current international guidelines and peer-reviewed evidence — not opinion, not habit.
Complex & Recurrent
Re-do & complex AWR
Patients turned away elsewhere. Recurrent hernias, infected mesh, loss-of-domain — the cases that built our reputation.
Curium AI Stack
SurgiMeasure · HDSS
India's first AI-assisted hernia decision support — classification, measurement, mesh selection.
Recognised Expertise
Award-winning surgical team
AHS Gimbernat Award (2022) and ACS International Scholar — international recognition from peer surgical bodies.
Chapter 02 · Our Approach

Evidence at the core. Tailored to you.

The same hernia can call for two different operations in two different patients — and we believe that is a feature, not a flaw. What stays constant is the foundation: current international guidelines, peer-reviewed evidence, and the experience of surgeons who do this every day. What changes is the plan we build for the person in front of us.

— The Foundation —

Guideline-led, patient-tailored.

Every consultation at THI starts from the same evidence base — the current international literature on hernia surgery. From that foundation, we tailor a plan to the patient's anatomy, lifestyle, occupation, and risk profile. This is the difference between a surgical opinion and a surgical decision.

  • 01
    Current international guidelines
    Every operation is informed by the most recent peer-reviewed guidelines in hernia and abdominal wall surgery — actively followed, not selectively cited.
  • 02
    Tailored to anatomy & risk
    Defect size, prior surgery, body habitus, smoking status, occupation, and recurrence risk — every factor changes the technique. We choose the operation that fits the patient.
  • 03
    Mesh selection by case
    There is no single "best" mesh. Lightweight macroporous, composite, self-gripping, biologic — chosen per indication, per defect, per patient.
  • 04
    Documented decision-making
    The recommended approach, the alternatives, and the reasoning are written into the consultation note — shared with the patient before the day of surgery.
  • 05
    Weekly internal case review
    Complex and pre-operative cases are discussed across our surgical team each week — collective judgement, not individual habit.
  • 06
    AI-assisted, surgeon-validated
    Decision support from our AI stack proposes the evidence-aligned approach. The surgeon validates and adapts. The patient sees both — and asks questions.
Chapter 03 · Conditions

Every kind of hernia.
One dedicated centre.

From a primary groin hernia in a working adult, to a recurrent complex abdominal wall reconstruction in a patient turned away elsewhere — and every case in between — the institute is built around a single specialty.

i.

Inguinal Hernia

The most common adult hernia. Open and laparoscopic TEP/TAPP — chosen patient-by-patient based on anatomy and evidence.

Read more ii.

Recurrent Hernia

Hernias that have returned after surgery elsewhere. Re-operative work is one of our highest-volume referral categories.

Read more iii.

Ventral & Incisional

Hernias at the site of previous surgery. eTEP, TAR, and IPOM-Plus — tailored to defect anatomy.

Read more iv.

Umbilical Hernia

From small primary defects to recurrent and complex umbilical repairs. Mesh-based and tissue repair.

Read more v.

Hiatal Hernia

Stomach herniation through the diaphragm. Laparoscopic fundoplication tailored to symptoms and anatomy.

Read more vi.

Femoral Hernia

Smaller but higher-risk for strangulation, particularly in women. Treated promptly with mesh-reinforced repair.

Read more vii.

Paediatric Hernia

A dedicated paediatric specialist on staff for inguinal, umbilical and congenital hernias in children.

Read more viii.

Complex AWR

Loss-of-domain, multiply-recurrent, infected mesh — cases that require a true specialist team.

Read more ix.

Sports Hernia

Chronic groin pain in athletes with no visible bulge. Rehab-first protocols; keyhole repair for refractory cases.

Read more x.

Parastomal Hernia

Bulging beside a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy. Keyhole Sugarbaker mesh repair, stoma preserved.

Read more xi.

Diastasis Recti

Midline muscle separation after pregnancy or weight change. Physio-first; endoscopic repair when it counts.

Read more xii.

Mesh Complications

Chronic pain, infection, or recurrence after previous mesh repair. Salvage and explantation by a specialist team.

Read more
Discuss your case on WhatsApp →
Transparent Pricing

Know the price before you walk in.

Most patients only learn what hernia surgery will cost after they've committed. We do the opposite — get an itemised estimate in 60 seconds, before you even book. No hidden charges, no last-minute upgrades, written quotes only.

Calculate My Cost → Quote on WhatsApp

For open inguinal hernia repair. Other procedures and complex cases priced separately. Always confirmed in writing before surgery.

Hernia Sevaहर्निया सेवा

No patient goes back. Because they cannot pay.

Hernia Seva is our promise — and the programme that backs it. Free and deeply subsidised hernia surgery for patients in genuine need, reviewed by an independent advisory board, treated with the same standard of care as every other patient.

Learn About Hernia Seva → Apply on WhatsApp
Chapter 04 · Procedures

Laparoscopic & Open Surgery.
The right approach, not the routine one.

Three pillars. Twelve techniques. One principle — match the operation to the anatomy, the patient, and the guideline.

— 01 —

Laparoscopic Repair

Minimally invasive · Evidence-led

Endoscopic and laparoscopic repair aligned with current international guidelines. Smaller incisions, finer dissection, faster recovery — for the majority of adult hernias at THI.

  • TEP & TAPP for inguinal hernias
  • eTEP for ventral / incisional
  • IPOM-Plus for complex ventral
  • Laparoscopic Nissen for hiatal
— 02 —

Open Repair

For specific indications

Open surgery is not outdated — it is the right choice for many incarcerated, strangulated, or anatomically complex hernias. We honour the technique and reach for it when the evidence says it is best.

  • Lichtenstein for primary inguinal
  • Anterior component separation
  • Stoppa repair for bilateral / recurrent
  • Open TAR in select complex cases
— 03 —

Paediatric Hernia

Children · Adolescents

Paediatric hernias are not simply small adult hernias. They require a different team, different instruments, different anaesthesia, and a different recovery pathway — and we have all of it.

  • Paediatric inguinal repair
  • Umbilical & epigastric
  • Congenital diaphragmatic
  • Adolescent sports hernia
Chapter 05 · The AI Stack

Software for surgeons — finally built for hernia.

Most surgical AI is built for radiology, pathology, or general workflow. The Curium platform is the first AI stack purpose-built for hernia and abdominal wall surgery — and THI is its primary clinical home.

In Clinical Collaboration with Curium.life
— 01 —
Hernia Classify
Standardised Classification

Automated, standards-aligned classification of every hernia we treat. Two patients with the same anatomy get the same classification — and therefore the same operation.

  • Standardised classification for groin hernias
  • Standardised grading for ventral hernias
  • SSI risk scoring before surgery
  • Integrated into the consultation note
— 02 —
SurgiMeasure
AI Defect Measurement

AI-assisted measurement of hernia defect size, width, and surrounding anatomy directly from CT and ultrasound — accurate, repeatable, and recorded in the patient file.

  • Defect width & transverse diameter
  • Loss-of-domain calculation
  • Mesh sizing recommendation
  • Pre-op & post-op comparison
— 03 —
HDSS
Hernia Decision Support System

An evidence-based, guideline-aware decision support engine. Takes the patient's history, anatomy, and risk profile — and proposes the recommended approach with the supporting literature.

  • Technique recommendation by case
  • Mesh type & fixation guidance
  • Guideline citation for every choice
  • Auditable, second-opinion ready
Why this matters
For the first time, your hernia operation is recommended by software, validated by a surgeon, and explainable to you — line by line, guideline by guideline.
Experience the Stack →
Chapter 06 · Supporting Infrastructure

The instruments behind the protocol.

Protocols only matter if you have the tools to execute them. Every operating theatre at THI is fitted with the equipment used by the centres that trained us.

Vision

4K Ultra-HD Laparoscopy

Modern 4K vision platform across all theatres. Sharper anatomy, finer dissection, smaller incisions — used in every minimally invasive case.

Energy

Sonicision · LigaSure

The world's leading vessel-sealing and ultrasonic dissection platforms — for precise sealing, minimal thermal spread, and reduced blood loss.

Mesh

Modern Mesh Library

Lightweight macroporous, composite, self-gripping, and biologic meshes — selected per case based on current international mesh-selection evidence.

04Generations · One Family
1940
In the Ludhiana medical
fraternity
"One patient, at the centre."
Chapter 07 · About the Institute

Part of Ludhiana's medical fraternity since 1940. One singular discipline.

The Hernia Institute™ is housed at Bawa Hospital, Civil Lines, Ludhiana — a 30-bed surgical super-speciality centre, continuing the legacy of Bawa Clinic (est. 1977). The Bawa family has been part of the Ludhiana medical fraternity since 1940, and the institute continues that long tradition of care in the city.

What changed is the focus. We do not run a general hospital that also fixes hernias. We run a hernia institute — and gave it a hospital. Every floor, every nurse, every theatre checklist, every guideline document and discharge pathway is engineered around one discipline: surgery of the abdominal wall — from a primary groin hernia in a working adult, to recurrent complex incisional hernias in patients who have been turned away elsewhere.

The institute is led by three surgeons whose careers span premier international centres for hernia and abdominal wall surgery, alongside active membership in the world's leading hernia societies. They are joined by anaesthetists, physiotherapists, a dedicated paediatric specialist, and a nursing team trained specifically in abdominal wall recovery. This is what a true centre of excellence looks like.

Dr. Ashvind Bawa
MS · FACS · Director, Surgical Services
Ludhiana medical fraternity since 1940

"Care is not a promise we print.
It is a discipline we practise — page after page,
patient after patient."

The Bawa Way · Founding Philosophy
Chapter 08 · The Surgeons

Three specialists. One discipline.

Every patient at THI is treated by a hernia surgeon — not a general surgeon who also does hernias. Below are the three consultants who lead our institute, each bringing their own sub-specialty depth.

Dr. Ashvind Bawa, Director of Surgical Services at Bawa Hospital and Founder of The Hernia Institute™Director, Surgical Services
MS · FACSHernia & AWR

Dr. Ashvind Bawa

AHS Gimbernat Award recipient (2022) and ACS International Scholar. Sixteen years at DMC&H, where he left as Professor of Surgery and Head of Unit, before returning to continue his work at Bawa Hospital — the family institution founded as Bawa Clinic in 1977. Internationally recognised for complex abdominal wall reconstruction and evidence-based hernia surgery.

AHS Gimbernat 2022ACS International ScholarFACSFAHS
Meet Dr. Bawa →
Dr. Ankit Mishra, Co-Surgical Lead at The Hernia Institute™Co-Surgical Lead
MS · MRCS · FRCS · FAHSHernia & AWR

Dr. Ankit Mishra

Co-Surgical Lead at The Hernia Institute™, with sub-specialty interest in complex ventral and recurrent hernia repair. Active faculty at multiple AWR workshops across India.

MS, MRCS, FRCSFAHSAWR Faculty
Meet Dr. Mishra →
Dr. Vinayak S Rengan, Paediatric Lead at The Hernia Institute™Paediatric Lead
MS · M.Ch.Paediatric Surgery

Dr. Vinayak Rengan

Paediatric Lead at The Hernia Institute™. Specialises in paediatric inguinal, umbilical and congenital hernias — a sub-specialty that is rare to find within an adult-led AWR centre. Brings dedicated paediatric protocols, instruments and recovery pathways.

M.Ch. Paed. Surg.Paediatric HerniaCongenital Defects
Meet Dr. Rengan →
Chapter 09 · The Patient Journey

From first consult to full recovery.

i

Consultation

A 30-minute appointment with one of our hernia surgeons. Examination, imaging if indicated, AI-assisted classification, and an honest discussion of options.

ii

Tailored Plan

Our AI decision support proposes the evidence-aligned approach. The surgeon validates and adapts to your anatomy and lifestyle. The plan is written, signed, shared.

iii

Day-Care Surgery

Most repairs are completed in 60–90 minutes with same-day discharge. Hernia-trained anaesthesia, dedicated recovery suite.

iv

Structured Recovery

A written, day-by-day plan. Physiotherapy partner, 48-hour and 2-week follow-up, and a direct line to your surgeon throughout.

Chapter 10 · Accreditations

Memberships and scholarships that shape our practice.

Active membership in international hernia societies shapes every protocol at THI. We do not learn surgery once and stop — we are constantly contributors to the global hernia conversation through international meetings, peer-reviewed publications, and ongoing exchange with leading centres.

European Hernia Society
EHS
Americas Hernia Society
AHS
Asia Pacific Hernia Society
APHS
American College of Surgeons
FACS
Indian Hernia Society
IHS
AHS Gimbernat Award
2022
ACS NSQIP
International Scholar
AWR Surgeons
North Zone Director
Curium.life
AI Collaboration
Bawa Hospital
Civil Lines, Ludhiana
Common Questions

Hernia surgery in Ludhiana — what patients ask.

What is the cost of hernia surgery in Ludhiana?

At The Hernia Institute, all-inclusive packages start at ₹35,000 for open inguinal repair and ₹55,000 for laparoscopic repair — surgeon, theatre, anaesthesia, and mesh included. Every patient receives a written, itemised estimate before surgery. Use our online cost estimator for an instant range.

Who is the best hernia surgeon in Ludhiana?

The right question is who specialises in hernia. The Hernia Institute is Punjab's only dedicated hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction centre — led by Dr. Ashvind Bawa, MS, FACS, AHS Gimbernat Award recipient (2022), ACS International Scholar, and former Professor & Head of Surgery Unit at DMC&H, alongside two sub-specialised co-surgeons.

How long does recovery take after hernia surgery?

Most laparoscopic repairs are day-care: home the same evening, desk work in 5–7 days, unrestricted lifting by 3–4 weeks. Every patient leaves with a written, day-by-day recovery plan and scheduled follow-up at 48 hours and 2 weeks.

Do you accept insurance for hernia surgery?

Cashless services are currently active with Star Health and select insurers, with empanelment for ECHS, CGHS, and other major networks in active progress. For all other insurers we help you file reimbursement claims end-to-end, and EMI options are available.

Do you treat patients from outside Ludhiana?

Yes — about 30% of our patients travel from across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, and Delhi NCR. We offer teleconsultation before you travel, and the full consultation–surgery–discharge visit typically takes 3–4 days.

Patients From Across North India

One specialist centre. Serving the whole region.

About 30% of our patients travel from outside Ludhiana — for the surgeon, the technique, or the price. We have built the entire outstation workflow around making that journey simple.

Punjab · Home

Hernia surgery in Ludhiana

Our home centre. Bawa Hospital, Civil Lines — 5 minutes from Ludhiana Bus Stand and Railway Station.

View details → Punjab · State-wide

Hernia surgery for Punjab

From Amritsar to Patiala, Bathinda to Jalandhar — Punjab's only dedicated hernia centre.

View details → Tricity · 90 min

Hernia surgery for Chandigarh

Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula — 90 minutes by road. The closest dedicated hernia centre.

View details → Haryana · Cross-border

Hernia surgery for Haryana

Karnal, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panchkula — closer to Ludhiana than Delhi for specialist surgery.

View details → Himachal · 2–5 hrs

Hernia surgery for Himachal

Baddi, Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Una — for most of HP, Ludhiana is the nearest dedicated hernia centre.

View details → Delhi NCR

Hernia surgery for Delhi NCR

Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida — transparent specialist pricing, written quote upfront, surgery by hernia specialists alone.

View details → J & K · Outstation

Hernia surgery for J & K

Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur, Ladakh — full outstation patient services, free teleconsultation first.

View details →
For Patients

Worried about a hernia? Start here.

Use our self-assessment guide to understand your symptoms, what to expect at your first appointment, and how to prepare for surgery. Most consultations result in a clear plan within 30 minutes.

Complete Patient Guide →Cost Estimator →FAQs →
For Referring Doctors

A streamlined referral pathway.

GPs, physicians, and surgeons across India and the wider region can refer directly to THI. Pre-operative teleconsultation is available; a structured handover returns to the referring physician after surgery.

Refer a Patient →Meet the Faculty →Clinical Guide →
Chapter 12 · Get in Touch

Talk to us. Today.

Most consultations are scheduled within 48 hours. For complex or recurrent cases, we offer a teleconsultation with one of our consultants before any travel is required.

Hernia Helpline & WhatsApp

+91-9155100001
Message anytime · we respond promptly

Email

hello@hernia.institute
For appointments & referrals

Visit Us

Bawa Hospital
Civil Lines, Ludhiana — 141001
Centrally located · easily approachable from all major routes
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The Hernia Institute™

Bawa Hospital, Civil Lines, Ludhiana — 141001

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