Surgery for hernia
Almost all of these hernias are repaired laparoscopically (keyhole) by Mr Jayanthi. This is usually done as a day case; you can come in on the day of the operation and go home on the same day.
Groin hernias
The operation involves a cut around your belly button and two more small cuts one on either side. The hernia is reduced into your abdomen and a mesh is placed outside the inner lining (called peritoneum) of the abdomen to prevent the hernia coming back. The inner lining is closed with hand sewn sutures.
The risks of the operation include that of bleeding & infection as with any operation. Specifically, with this operation, there is a chance of injury to the bladder, bowel and blood vessels, all of which are around the hernia. There is a small chance of an open operation and a risk of fluid collection (called seroma) in the space that was occupied by the hernia. There is a risk of the hernia coming back and a small chance of what is called a chronic groin pain. The chronic groin pain is a simple annoyance in most of the cases, however is a small proportion, this can be disabling and difficult to treat. Mr Jayanthi doesn’t use any metal clips or tacks for this operation and therefore the chance of the chronic groin pain is less, but not zero.
What if I have two hernias, one in each groin?
In fact, keyhole approach is the best way in this situation. Both the hernias can be treated at the same operation and through the same number of keyhole cuts. The operation shouldn’t more painful than when one hernia is operated on. The recovery will be the same as when one hernia is operated on. Of course, the risks of the hernia repair are applicable to both the sides.
What if my hernia has come back after a previous operation?
If the previous operation was an open operation, then the hernia can be treated safely with no increased risks via a keyhole operation. However, if the previous operation was a keyhole, then you have two options. You can choose to have an open operation or if you prefer a keyhole approach, Mr Jayanthi will be happy to do so. But there is a higher chance of an open operation and increased risks, which Mr Jayanthi will explain at the time of your consultation.
Other hernias
While the groin hernias are the commonest type of hernias, the next common type of hernias are those that come at the site of your belly button (umbilical hernias). Most of these hernias are small and can be operated through a small incision around the umbilicus. One of the most often asked question is if these can be repaired with a keyhole operation. The simple answer is ‘yes’. But, to repair this hernia, three keyhole cuts are required. Most of the belly button hernias are as small as a keyhole. So it isn’t very efficient to place three keyhole cuts to repair one!
Other types of hernia may need discussion and planning according to the type of the hernia. Mr Jayanthi will be more than happy to discuss all this at the time of the consultation.