- ASIDE: In structural engineering, a truss is a kind of structural system , used to efficiently bridge spans or to provide additional stiffness to a system as a trade off of larger size/depth to reduce overall weight. See truss
In medicine, a truss is a kind of surgical appliance , particularly one used for hernia patients.
Trusses do not cure the hernia. Instead, a truss provides support for the herniated area, using a pad and belt arrangement to hold it in the correct position. With the advent of modern hernia surgery, trusses have generally become obsolete.