Hernia Surgery
Skip the waiting list – book your NHS hernia repair surgery with Independent Health Group for a low-risk, hassle-free procedure.
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What is a hernia?
A hernia is caused when an internal organ or tissue within the abdominal cavity pushes through a weakened area of the abdominal wall. This typically occurs in either the abdomen or groin area and results in a noticeable swelling or bulge.
Hernias are a common condition that affects men more commonly than women. They tend to manifest quite suddenly and are known to commonly appear after performing strenuous physical activity.
They can also be incredibly discomforting and come in various forms, each associated with various locations within the body. Some of the most common types of hernia include:
- Inguinal hernia – the most common type of hernia that develops on either side of the groin, typically caused when a portion of the intestine protrudes into the inguinal canal.
- Femoral hernia – more common in women than men, this type of hernia occurs when an organ or tissue pushes through the femoral canal, a passageway located near the upper thigh.
- Incisional hernia – this hernia develops at the site of an incision or scar, where the abdominal wall has previously been weakened as a result of surgery.
Do you need hernia surgery?
Once a hernia has developed, it will not disappear on its own. Therefore, surgery is the only method of repairing the weakened abdominal wall and returning the displaced tissues or organs back to their original position.
However, surgery is not always essential if your hernia is not causing any significant discomfort or impacting your ability to perform normal day-to-day activities.
Whether you need a hernia repair or not really comes down to the extent of the issue at hand. While it may feel fine now, hernias can worsen over time, making surgery a viable option.
The earlier you can have surgery, the lower your risk of potential complications will be as well. This can then improve your overall recovery time, allowing you to return to your daily life and activities sooner rather than later.
As with any type of surgery, it is important to consult with a medical professional if you are not sure. They will be able to assess your hernia, discuss how it is impacting your life and help you make a more informed decision.
Why book your hernia surgery with the Independent Health Group?
Here at Independent Health Group, we are proud to provide high-quality NHS treatments to local patients throughout England.
Our unique community-centred structure allows us to offer NHS patients faster access to vital healthcare from a more convenient location at no extra cost. This includes all types of hernia repair surgery – from keyhole hernia surgery to umbilical hernia surgery – and allows you to avoid the long waiting lists typically found at larger hospitals.
Offering state-of-the-art equipment, we have facilities throughout the UK, with each one comprised of a specialist team of friendly staff and highly experienced surgeons.
Following an initial consultation with us, we will aim to provide you with a date for your hernia surgery within 11 weeks. We will also ensure you work with the same clinician throughout, offering you some added peace of mind throughout your treatment journey.
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Hernia surgery is performed to repair a hernia – a condition caused when organs or tissues protrude through a weakened abdominal wall. The surgery aims to reinforce the abdominal wall and return the displaced tissue to its proper position, relieving discomfort and preventing any potential complications.
While some smaller hernias can be managed by making lifestyle changes and having regular check-ups, larger hernias that are symptomatic will typically require surgical intervention.
Post-surgery recovery times vary from person to person and are dependent on two key things: the type of hernia and the surgical technique used. While most patients are often able to return home the same day, a short hospital stay may be required in some instances.
Groin hernia (inguinal or femoral)
There are two main types of surgery to choose from, either ‘open’ or laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery.
Open Surgery
This can be undertaken under local or general anaesthetic. The incision is approximately 5 – 10cm long in the lower abdomen/ groin.
The hernia is pushed back through the gap in the layers of the abdominal wall, and a small sheet of synthetic material (mesh) is then used to reinforce the weakened abdominal wall. Once this mesh is secured in place, the incision is closed using dissolvable stitches under the skin.
In certain circumstances an open repair, using local anaesthetic may be the better option, for example, patients who are older and have other significant medical problems, or patients who do not want a full general anaesthetic.
Using local anaesthetic avoids the very small risks associated with general anaesthesia, any associated nausea or vomiting and allows you to be treated and discharged home usually within two hours. Local anaesthetic works very well but you would probably feel some discomfort as the anaesthetic is injected and an occasional feeling of pressure during the operation. Although uncommon some patients may find the procedure uncomfortable under local anaesthetic.
Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery
Laparoscopic surgery requires a general anaesthetic.
One small cut (1-2cm long) is made near the belly button and two small cuts in the lower abdomen. Carbon dioxide gas is used to inflate your abdomen and a small telescopic camera is then inserted to view the hernia from within the abdomen.
This means that the surgeon is looking at the hole from the inside of the abdomen. A mesh is then placed over the hole and secured in place.
The medical literature suggests that laparoscopic surgery has the advantages of causing less post-operative pain, less chronic groin pain and enabling a slightly quicker return to work. There is however a very small risk of serious ‘internal’ injury during the operation and possibly a higher risk of the hernia coming back.
Generally speaking there is not very much difference between the operations in practice, as long as they are performed well. The surgeon’s expertise in a particular technique is at least as important as the type of repair that is being performed. It is important that this decision is made after you have read this information and had as much time as you need to discuss this with your surgeon.
In certain circumstances laparoscopic surgery may be beneficial, these are; groin hernias affecting both sides (bilateral); groin hernias in women (there is some evidence that women have a higher chance of another undiagnosed hernia that is not easily seen during open surgery); groin hernias in younger and active patients or whose predominant symptom is pain with a small hernia; recurrent hernias (that have come back after being repaired before using the open technique). Please ask as many questions as you feel necessary, so we can help you make the right decision for you.
Hernia repair is a commonly performed and generally safe operation. In most patients, the benefits of surgery will outweigh the risks of the surgery. However, all surgery carries an element of risk.
There are risks with all types of anaesthesia. If you choose to have your operation under a general anaesthetic, you should speak directly to your anaesthetist regarding the risks.
Local anaesthesia is very safe, the risk of local anaesthetic toxicity and collapse is rare, please ask your surgeon if you have any questions regarding this.
These are unwanted but mostly temporary effects of successful treatment. Everyone gets these to some extent.
It is usual to have some bruising and swelling around the incision site/s, this often spreads to the genital area and can be quite marked.
The healing process will cause a firm ridge to be felt under the scar. This slowly resolves over subsequent months.
Some degree of discomfort around the incision site/s is unavoidable, but usually well controlled with pain killers.
It is usual to have an area of loss of sensation below the incision/s. This generally becomes much less noticeable with time but in a number of patients (5 – 10%) it may be permanent but does not usually cause significant problems.
Occasionally patients will be a little constipated after surgery and can have some difficulty passing urine.
These may occur during or after surgery. Most people will not be affected.
Infection of the surgical wound affects a small number of patients and would usually be treated with antibiotics by mouth. If this occurs it is usually a problem 3 – 30 days after the operation. You should seek advice if the area becomes red or hot, if you develop a temperature or ‘flu-like’ symptoms, or if the wound is discharging fluid. Sometimes hospital admission is necessary for antibiotic injections and further surgery can also be required. Rarely the mesh used in hernia surgery can become infected and need removal.
Chronic groin pain (that is pain lasting beyond three months) is reported to affect approximately 1 in 10 patients having groin hernia surgery but decreases over time. It can occur after both open and laparoscopic surgery. Debilitating (severe) chronic groin pain affecting normal daily activities, work and quality of life is reported to affect between 1 and 12 in 200 patients. In our clinic we have had a small number of patients with severe debilitating chronic groin pain after hernia surgery, the number of patients we know to be affected is no more than 1 in 200 patients. There is a small chance, about 1 in 200, that the hernia could come back (recur) after surgery.
Developing a collection of blood (haematoma) or fluid (seroma) under the wound. This would cause a larger swelling than usual under the scar and would take a few weeks to resolve. Sometimes hospital admission and further surgery can be required to remove the collection of blood/ fluid.
When repairing inguinal hernias in men the blood supply to the testicle on that side can be damaged and the testicle may shrink down in size. Rarely this can require the testicle to be removed.
Blood clot (thrombosis) in your leg and/ or lung. This is possible after any surgery and can be very dangerous and even cause death. If you go on to have surgery more information will be given to you regarding how to help prevent this happening to you and what symptoms to watch out for and report to your doctor. It is more of a risk with surgery under general anaesthetic but is still rare.
Rarely the intestine (bowel), blood vessels or nerves can be seriously injured during surgery, this could require more extensive surgery either at the time of the original surgery or later, this is rare.
The majority of patients will not suffer any complications. If you have any problems or concerns after the operation, please contact us directly.
Paraumbilical/ Umbilical, epigastric and incisional hernias
These types of hernia are very usually repaired with open surgery. Occasionally incisional hernias might be suitable for laparoscopic surgery.
The operation can be undertaken under local or general anaesthetic. The size of the incision depends on the size of the hernia and usually varies between 1 and 10 cms.
The hernia is pushed back through the gap in the layers of the abdominal wall, and a small sheet of synthetic material (mesh) is then used to reinforce the weakened abdominal wall. Once this mesh is secured in place, the incision is closed using dissolvable stitches under the skin.
Using local anaesthetic avoids the very small risks associated with general anaesthesia, any associated nausea or vomiting and allows you to be treated and discharged home usually within two hours. Local anaesthetic works very well but you would probably feel some discomfort as the anaesthetic is injected and an occasional feeling of pressure during the operation. Although uncommon some patients may find the procedure uncomfortable under local anaesthetic.
Hernia repair is a commonly performed and generally safe operation. In most patients the benefits of surgery will outweigh the risks of the surgery.
There are risks with all types of anaesthesia. If you choose to have your operation under a general anaesthetic, you should speak directly to your anaesthetist regarding the risks. Local anaesthesia is very safe, the risk of local anaesthetic toxicity and collapse is rare, please ask your surgeon if you have any questions regarding this.
These are unwanted but mostly temporary effects of successful treatment. Everyone gets these to some extent.
It is usual to have some bruising and swelling around the incision site.
The healing process can cause a firm ridge to be felt under the scar. This slowly resolves over subsequent months.
Some degree of discomfort around the incision site is unavoidable, but usually well controlled with pain killers.
It is not unusual to have an area of loss of sensation around the incision. This generally becomes much less noticeable with time but in a number of patients, it may be permanent but does not usually cause significant problems.
Occasionally patients will be a little constipated after surgery and can have some difficulty passing urine.
These may occur during or after surgery. Most people will not be affected.
Infection of the surgical wound affects a small number of patients and would usually be treated with antibiotics by mouth. If this occurs it is usually a problem 3 – 30 days after the operation. You should seek advice if the area becomes red or hot, if you develop
a temperature or ‘flu-like’ symptoms, or if the wound is discharging fluid. Sometimes hospital admission is necessary for antibiotic injections and further surgery can also be required. Rarely the mesh used in hernia surgery can become infected and need removal.
Chronic pain can potentially occur after any operation. It would be rare for patients to suffer with severe chronic pain affecting quality of life following surgery for a paraumbilical or epigastric hernia.
There is a small chance that the hernia could come back (recur) after surgery.
Developing a collection of blood (haematoma) or fluid (seroma) under the wound. This would cause a larger swelling than usual under the scar and would take a few weeks to resolve. Sometimes hospital admission and further surgery can be required to remove the collection of blood/ fluid.
Blood clot (thrombosis) in your leg and/ or lung. This is possible after any surgery and can be very dangerous and even cause death. If you go on to have surgery more information will be given to you regarding how to help prevent this happening to you and what symptoms to watch out for and report to your doctor. It is more of a risk with surgery under general anaesthetic but is still rare.
Rarely the intestine (bowel), blood vessels or nerves can be seriously injured during surgery, this could require more extensive surgery either at the time of the original surgery or later, this is rare.
