Just thought I'd add a bit of general information here. A hernia can be any weakness in a muscular or anatomical area where another structure can bulge through.
In the case of a hiatus hernia, the muscles on either side of the oesophagus are weakened, so acid contents of the stomach can flow back up the oesophagus, causing reflux oesophagitis. If the weakness progresses, part of the stomach, or even occasionally colon can migrate into the chest cavity. One of the frequent repairs for this type of hernia is a Nissan fundoplication - the weakened muscles of the diaphragmatic crura are stitched together, and the stomach is "wrapped" around the oesophagus and stitched in place to prevent the hernia recurring.
Abdominal wall hernias include umbilical (belly button), and inguinal (groin) hernias. A Shouldice repair is one of the techniques for repairing an inguinal hernia
Since 10-15 years ago, many hernias can be now repaired laparoscopically
HD