So when on that tube journey he saw an advertisement
for the British Hernia Centre London branch stating that hernias could be done as a
daytime operation, he gave them a ring. The
consultant (B) regretted that as it was a recurrent hernia, a general anaesthetic was
necessary and would therefore involve an overnight
stay.
Consultant
B added that the chances of losing a testicle were remote. In any case, the Centre would not dream of cutting
through the old scar tissue but would make the incision higher up and then work behind it
and use sterile mesh to repair the hernia. The cost would be £2100. Geoff immediately
booked in with them and cancelled his first appointment.
Geoff was offered the choice of an epidural or a
general anaesthetic and chose the latter. He was able to leave the following day at 11.00
and came home by tube! After a week, he
returned to work feeling absolutely fine. This was in contrast to his initial operation
twenty years ago when he had five days in hospital, two weeks convalescence at home and
intermittent pain for some weeks as a nerve had been trapped.
He says, “My first operation was a nightmare
and I thought that dealing with a recurrent hernia might well be worse. This time all I
had was some discomfort, but no real pain and I was delighted to be able to go home the
next day. I am amazed that this new technique is not being offered by all specialists. It
would seem to be a much more economical option for the NHS than the one I was first
offered.”
What is a
hernia?
It is a protrusion out of the body cavity in
which it normally lies. An inguinal hernia, the kind
Geoff had, is also known as a rupture, and it occurs in the lower abdomen where part of
the bowel bulges through the abdominal wall. You can
get it through some physical straining – lifting something awkwardly – or even
through coughing. Other kinds of hernia can occur in
the top of the thigh or in the diaphragm. A
hiatus hernia is the most well known type, and it happens when part of the stomach
protrudes into the chest cavity through the oesophagus.
How is it
corrected?
Surgery is necessary to push back the
protrusion and repair the cavity. With an inguinal hernia, the intestines are put back
into place and the abdominal wall is repaired with stitches.
Most operations are still performed under a general anaesthetic with its attendant
risks and the need to keep people in hospital for longer. The newer technique employs
sterile mesh to reinforce the abdominal wall and the body tissue which grows round it
strengthens the whole area. This makes for quick healing with less likelihood that the
hernia will recur.
 PS Two weeks after his operation, Geoff received a letter saying that he had been booked into
hospital on the NHS by Consultant A. This would have saved him something in the region of
£2100, but with the probability of working
through scar tissue and possible dangers, plus several nights in hospital, he considers it
money well spent.
To find out more about hernias and the British Hernia
Centre, log onto www.hernia.org.
January 2004 |
A Tale about a hernia 
