HERNIA TREATMENT


FEATURE 17


Sterile mesh can create a strong reinforced repair


Hernias which can be uncomfortable and


unsightly are easily treated


HERNIA TREATMENT


A closer look at... T


reatment for hernia is a common surgical procedure in the UK but where it used to require open surgery it can now


be treated with a minor operation. This latest treatment, known as a ‘tension-free’ repair, was pioneered by The British Hernia Centre who now offer this option at Imperial Private Healthcare’s Lindo Wing. Surgeons perform a short simple procedure under local anaesthetic which has a high success rate with patients returning home the same day. The procedure does not involve


stitches, rather the surgeon inserts a sheet of inert, sterile mesh into the hernia opening in the abdominal wall. The body ‘senses’ the presence of the mesh and tissue and muscle naturally grow through it, creating a strong reinforced repair. Dudley Rogg, director of the British Hernia Centre, said: “There is far less


www.imperialprivatehealthcare.co.uk


trauma to surrounding tissue than with open surgery, the operation is quick and patients return to normal activities almost immediately. There is also far less risk of the repair failing.” Hernias happen when an internal


part of the body, for example the intestine, protrudes through a weakness in the abdominal wall, causing a bulge or lump around the navel, groin or top of the leg. They happen due to stress on the abdominal muscles caused by, for example, coughing, heavy lifting or


“Hernias are often painless but without treatment, they will grow bigger and can be dangerous… Even if painless, a hernia can be unsightly and uncomfortable and have a real impact on people’s quality of life.”


with a 20-minute operation at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital.


straining with constipation. Over a lifetime, one in 10 people


will suffer a hernia and although they are more common in men due to a natural anatomical weakness, they can also affect women and babies and cannot be prevented. Mr Rogg said: “Hernias are often


painless but without treatment, they will grow bigger and can be dangerous. A ‘strangulated hernia’ results in the blood supply to the trapped intestine being cut off which can lead to blood poisoning. “Even if painless, a hernia can be


unsightly and uncomfortable and have a real impact on people’s quality of life. We’re very pleased to be able to offer our patients a simple procedure which will quickly solve this problem.” V


For further information about hernias visit The British Hernia Centre’s


website, www.hernia.org. Appointments can be booked by calling +44 (0)20 3311 7700 or +44 (0)20 8201 7000.


Imperial Private Healthcare


CASA NAYAFANA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM


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