Hello. I am 62, and I ve had a hernia in my groin for at least 15+ years now(diagnosed by 2 different doctors), but now it s getting close to the point where I should very soon have surgery, since my symptoms are occassionally getting worse, probably because of the extra 12 pounds I put on over the Holidays, although, I have been successfully & gradually losing weight, so as to lessen the pressure against the herniated area.. I have been searching online for surgeons and/or clinics which specialize in this type of surgery, and I have to say, the more I learn the more confused & bewildered I become, because it almost seems as if there are as many surgical methods & approaches out there as there are surgeons. There is The Shouldice Method, The Desarda Method, The Lichtenstein Method, The Bassini Method, The Prolene System Mesh Repair Method, The Plug & Patch Repair Method, and I just heard of another one called The McVay Method. Virtually every one of these methods claim a tension free outcome, which is about the only desirable result I ve decided on. It seems ridiculous for me to travel for hours, away from my home, to check-in to one of these medical clinics, when I already live in a rather major metropolitan area(Orlando, Florida), where there must be at least a hundred qualified surgeons who could perform the job with good success. I would ask my Family Doctor, but I m afraid that he would just pass me off to one of his surgeon / friends. Don t most surgeons tend to usually fall back on the method with which they are most comfortable (TRANSLATION: easy , lucrative , cost-effective , time-saver )? I wish I could find a surgeon who has been trained in all known methods, and who is open minded enough to utililize the best method for my situation. All I really want is to be able to resume my athletic activities, perhaps 6 months to a year, post-operative. I guess, in the end, I m going to have to give-in a little, and learn to trust someone. I am just not sure who!!!! I DO know that at some point, my research will have to end, and I will need to take a first solid step in someone s direction. I suppose when it comes to the Medical Profession, I have a slight issue with TRUST!! Can you offer any suggestions as to what my next couple of steps should be? Thank You So Much.