General Surgery

A hernia operation can be performed under either local or general anaesthetic. The surgeon will prescribe what is best for you. At Probus Surgical Centre this operation is performed under local anaesthetic.

An incision is made measuring six to ten centimetres long above the groin.

Local anaesthetic is injected into the area of the cut. One of the muscle layers is opened and the hernia is then carefully put back in place and a repair is made to strengthen the weakened area. The repair can consist of two or more layers of stitches or by stitching a mesh over the whole area. Both of these methods give very good lasting results. Once again the surgeon will decide what is required depending on what type of hernia he finds.

Local anaesthetic procedure:
PLEASE NOTE: General anaesthetic and Laparoscopic surgery are also options but these are not available at Probus Surgical Centre. If you wish to have either a general anaesthetic or laparoscopic surgery, please contact us on 01726 885104.

Our Practice Nurse will telephone you 3-7 days prior to your operation to discuss your pre-op care.

Please take a bath or shower the day or the operation – please follow our shaving instructions before you attend.

On the day, you can have a light meal up to 2 hours before your operation. You may be given a Voltarol suppositories prior to your operation.

If you are on warfarin, clopidgogrel or dipyridamole (persantin) or any another anti-coagulant, please contact our surgical team for further information prior to your operation.

You will be able to go home on the same day but you MUST have a responsible adult to drive you and stay with you for the first 24 hours.

You should not drive until you feel comfortable to do so. You must be confident that you can keep control during an emergency (check with your Insurance Company to make sure you are covered) or as advised by the doctor. You should also avoid heavy lifting until you feel comfortable or as advised by your doctor.

We will advise you on pain relief after your operation to keep you comfortable and you may be prescribed some.

The operation site will be covered with a dressing. The nurse will advise you when you can shower as this can vary.

The wound will be held closed with dissolvable stitches.

Men Only: You are advised to wear tight underwear for at least a week to prevent bruising and swelling of genital area.

You will be telephoned the next working day after your operation to see how you are getting on. You will not routinely receive a follow up appointment and you will be discharged back to your GP, if you have any queries post-op, please contact us on 01726 885104.

If you are worried about your recovery from this operation, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your own doctor or Probus Surgical Centre.

Any operation may lead to complications and these include the following:

• Infection, Bleeding, Haematoma/Seroma, Scrotal Swelling and bruising

• Injury to Bowels/Bladder/Nerves/Vas/Blood vessels

• Numbness

• Men: Testicular atrophy, Reduced fertility, Removal of testis

• Blood clots (legs or lungs)

• Recurrence of hernia

• Chronic wound pain

• Mesh infection/Migration/Erosion

Your doctor will help you decide between the advantages and risks.

Really important considerations if you are travelling on holiday with a hernia

Hernias can be asymptomatic (i.e. unnoticeable) in terms of pain or discomfort, but that does not mean they will stay that way. Overall, hernias tend only to get worse, sometimes slowly, sometimes very quickly. They can suddenly worsen for no apparent reason, perhaps no more than a cough or sneeze is enough. Another cause can be straining in the toilet - perhaps because of a bout of 'holiday tummy'. 

In the event of worsening of a hernia condition, it could well be extremely important to obtain very prompt and high quality medical or surgical attention. 

Incarceration of the hernia, in plain terms 'trapping' it in the abdominal wall defect that is the hernia, can be intensely uncomfortable or painful and could get worse. 

Given the potential for extremely unpleasant problems – or even dangers of worse – it is
very sensible to consider the nature of any holiday or other trip away from home when one knows they have a hernia.

Clearly, apart from a ruined holiday, the considerations must include:

• The level of activity that is going to be involved.

  • Carrying luggage, even lifting on the scales at check-in or off the carousel at destination

  • The nature of the holiday. Does it, for example, include sport, skiing, swimming, even sailing or other boating? Camping, walking, climbing, dancing perhaps?

• The Journey and Means of Transport

  • Flying on most airlines today can be very cramped and uncomfortable. How long is that flight and what of the rest of the journey, door-to-door?

  • Whilst en-route, medical/surgical help is effectively unavailable in almost all circumstances.

• Location of Destination

  • Are you going to a developed country with modern standards of healthcare?

  • How close will you be to the nearest hospital and will you be able to use it?

• Financial

  • Will you have the means in an acceptable form locally to pay for a hospital admission if necessary?

  • Most, if not all, travel insurance will NOT cover anything arising from a condition known at the time of departure from home – and they will check in the event of a claim.

All our procedures are performed under local anaesthetic. During the procedure, you will still be able to feel the sensation of touch and pressure and there may be some feelings of discomfort at certain stages of the procedure. We endeavour to make you as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure.

In general, all tissue samples removed are sent to histological diagnosis and confirmation, Results generally take about 4 weeks and once they are back, they will be communicated to you.

We advise that someone else drives you home after your minor surgery, if that is not possible, we recommend you stay in our reception area for about half an hour before driving home, ensuring you feel absolutely well.

We will advise you if any sutures require removal, which can be done at your local GP surgery.

We will also advise you on wound care, depending on what has been done. In general, the area will need to be kept clean and dry for 2-5 days. We will also advise you whether you need to avoid any activities before the wound is dry and healed.

For minor surgery in general, complications are:

1. Scar: they can be red and raised in the beginning, but they tend to fade and flatten over time, which can take several months. However, some scars can remain raised (hypertrophic) or even keloid especially on the torso and shoulder areas.

2. Wound Infections- The wound would look red and feel hot to touch and there may be some pus. They typically happen from day 2-5. This may require a course of oral antibiotics. Contact your Practice Nurse at GP surgery if you suspect a wound infection.

3. Local bruising and bleeding- This is more frequent in patients who take anti-platelet drugs or anti-coagulants If you have any excessive bleeding, apply pressure for 20 minutes but if it doesn’t stop, seek medical help or attend your nearest minor injury unit.

4. Damage to surrounding vessels or nerves- although great care is taken, there is a risk depending on the area being operated.

5. Recurrence of the problem- there is always a small risk that the problem could return in the future.