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Hernia surgery

Hernia surgery repairs the weak spot in the abdominal wall that caused the hernia. Sussex Premier Health provides hernia surgery to patients in Hastings, East Sussex and surrounding areas.

Sometimes also called

  • Herniotomy
  • Hernioplasty
  • Herniorrhaphy

Why us

  • Fast access to treatment when you need it
  • Internationally and nationally renowned consultants
  • Clear, inclusive pricing with no hidden costs
Typical Hospital Stay

Same-day discharge or 1 night

Type of anaesthetic

General, spinal or local

Covered by health insurance?

Yes

Procedure duration

Under an hour

Available to self-pay?

Yes

What is hernia surgery

Your initial consultation at Sussex Premier Health will be with one of our expert Cosmetic Surgeons.

At Sussex Premier Health we offer hernia surgery to patients in East Sussex, Kent and surrounding areas.

An inguinal hernia repair is an operation your doctor may suggest if you have a swelling or lump in your groin (or an enlarged scrotum in men), due to a hernia that’s causing pain or other problems.

An inguinal hernia occurs when part of your intestine, or the fatty tissue around it, pokes through a weak spot in your abdominal wall muscles. It is more common in men. Most are thought to result from ageing as your abdominal wall becomes weaker with age, though it can be present from birth. Inguinal hernias can also develop suddenly after putting pressure on the abdominal muscles, such as straining as a result of constipation, and they have also been linked to a persistent, heavy cough. You may find that the pain is often worse when you cough or stand and may disappear completely when you lie down.

Inguinal hernias are the most common type of hernias, but others include:

  • Femoral hernia – a lump around the top of your thigh as part of your bowel or the fatty tissue around has pushed through your groin
  • Hiatus hernia – where part of your stomach has moved through a hole in your diaphragm known as the hiatus and into your chest
  • Umbilical hernia – a painless lump in or around your belly button as part of your bowel has pushed through the abdominal wall where the umbilical cord once was. This is common in infants though it can occur in adulthood

An inguinal hernia doesn’t tend to improve if it’s left untreated, so surgery is recommended. The operation involves pushing the protruding tissue back into place and repairing the weakness in your abdominal wall, usually with mesh.

If you would like to discuss hernia surgery further, please contact our dedicated Self-Pay team on 01424 757455 or complete an online enquiry form.

Find a consultant at Sussex Premier Health

Mr Matthew Miller

Consultant General Surgeon

Miss Imelda Donnellan

Consultant General Surgeon

Mrs Alys Morris

Consultant General Surgeon

Mr Raj Harshen

Consultant Laparoscopic, Colorectal and General Surgeon

Mr Michail Klimovskij

Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon

Mr Shameen Jaunoo

Consultant General, Upper GI & Laparoscopic Surgeon

Your initial consultation

Our consultants have wide experience in performing hernia repair surgery. They’ll offer you a treatment and recovery plan that’s tailored to you. With fast access to tests, scans and treatments, we can help relieve your symptoms and get you back to your everyday activities.

You’ll meet your consultant in one of our private consultation rooms. During your appointment, your consultant will discuss:

  • Your symptoms and check your abdomen and suspected hernia
  • Your health and medical history
  • What you’d like to achieve through treatment
  • Which surgical method is best for you and what it involves
  • The anaesthetic you’ll need – either a general anaesthetic (where you’ll be asleep) or a local or spinal anaesthetic (where you’ll be awake but unable to feel pain in the area being operated on)

Your consultant can usually diagnose a hernia by examining the lump and asking you to stand, cough and lie down, they  will also explain if you need to have further tests and scans to diagnose your hernia and decide which surgical technique they recommend for you. Before proceeding, you may also need to have a pre-operative assessment. This is to make sure the surgery is right for you, particularly if you’re having a general anaesthetic.

They’ll then outline a treatment and recovery plan that’s tailored to you.

Hernia surgery at Sussex Premier Health in Hastings, East Sussex

Your procedure

On the day of your procedure, our ward staff will show you to your own private room. Usually, you can leave hospital on the same day as your surgery. You may need to stay overnight if you have other medical conditions or live alone. We’ll do all we can to make sure you’re comfortable while you’re with us.

Our private rooms include:

  • TV
  • Armchair
  • Wi-Fi
  • Wardrobe
  • En-suite bathroom

Once you’re ready, our nurses will help you prepare for your operation. There’ll be a chance to see your consultant surgeon and meet your anaesthetist.

During the operation, you’ll have either:

  • A general anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be asleep – usually required for keyhole (laparoscopic) procedures
  • A spinal or local anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be awake but unable to feel anything in the region being operated on – this is normally used for open hernia repair surgery

Hernia repair surgery typically takes less than one hour.

There tends to be less pain with keyhole surgery than with open surgery but you’re still likely to feel some soreness and discomfort once your anaesthetic wears off. Everyone experiences pain differently, but don’t worry, you’ll be given painkillers to help you manage this afterwards.

Nurse

Aftercare

You’re likely to feel some soreness and discomfort once your anaesthetic wears off. Everyone experiences pain differently, and our nurses will be able to give you painkillers to help you manage it.

You can expect to go home on the same day as your operation, though you may have to stay overnight. After one to two weeks, you should be able to perform light activities such as shopping, return to desk-based work and you may also be able to drive again. You should be back to most normal activities within six weeks. If you have keyhole surgery, you’re likely to recover quicker and experience less pain than with open surgery.

You’ll have a follow-up appointment with your consultant around three to four weeks after your surgery.

To discuss more about hernia surgery at Sussex Premier Health, Hastings further, please contact our dedicated Self-Pay team on 01424 757455 or complete our online enquiry form.

Hernia surgery at Sussex Premier Health in Hastings, East Sussex

Treatment and recovery timeline

0-1 days

Leave hospital

1-2 weeks

Light activities such as shopping and desk-based work

4-6 weeks

Back to normal activities

If you have a hernia then the likelihood is that it will not get better without surgery, but that doesn’t always mean it will get worse. If you’re experiencing pain and your hernia is having an effect on your day-to-day life, surgery is often recommended.

Your consultant may recommend surgery if your hernia is:

  • Painful
  • Interfering with daily activities such as bending or lifting
  • Growing
  • Making complications more likely – if a portion of the protruding tissue becomes stuck in your inguinal canal, it can cause vomiting, stomach discomfort and a painful lump in your groin (obstructive hernia). If the protruding tissue becomes trapped in your abdominal wall, the blood supply may be cut off, which is potentially life-threatening (a strangulated hernia)

Your hernia will be operated on by a surgeon of your choice.

Following your inguinal hernia repair procedure at Spire, you can expect to be back to most normal activities within four to six weeks.

Hernia surgery is a common procedure and most people have an inguinal hernia repair without complications, but all surgery carries some risks. Your consultant will discuss potential risks and complications with you before the operation.

Your inguinal hernia repair will be performed under anaesthetic so you’ll not feel any pain during the procedure. However, you may find that you experience mild discomfort when coughing, sneezing and going to the toilet during your recovery at home.

If you have a hernia then the likelihood is that it will not get better without surgery, but that doesn’t always mean it will get worse. If you’re experiencing pain and your hernia is having an effect on your day-to-day life, surgery is often recommended.

You can continue to exercise as normal with an inguinal hernia, but you should always do so with caution and stop if you’re experiencing pain.

If left untreated, there is a risk of your abdominal hernia bursting, though this very rarely happens.

If your treatment was performed under general anaesthetic, you should avoid drinking alcohol, operating machinery, and signing legal documents for at least two days.

Interested in finding out more?

Speak to a member of our team

Phone01424 757400

Enquiry form

DD slash MM slash YYYY

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