Hernia surgery at Spire Little Aston Hospital

At Spire Little Aston Hospital, we provide comprehensive treatments and care from our comfortable private hospital in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham city centre.

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.

We offer a variety of techniques for inguinal hernia surgery. The treatments available to you will depend on the type, size and location of your hernia and your general health. Your consultant will discuss which option is best for you.

Trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal laparoscopy (TAPP)

A keyhole procedure where your surgeon inserts the surgical instruments through your abdomen and the lining covering your abdominal organs. The weakened area of your abdomen is strengthened using a mesh insert which is glued or stapled in place. This procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep.

Totally extra-peritoneal laparoscopy (TEP)

A newer keyhole procedure where your surgeon repairs your hernia without needing to cut into the lining covering your abdominal organs. Mesh is used to repair the weakness in your abdominal wall. This procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep.

Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair

An open surgery technique typically performed with either local or spinal anaesthetic which means you’ll be awake but unable to feel pain in the area being operated on. Your abdominal wall is repaired using mesh.

ONSTEP technique

An open surgery technique where the surgeon repairs your hernia from outside the lining covering your abdominal organs and repairs the weakness with mesh. This will be carried out under local anaesthetic (where you’ll be awake but won’t be able to feel pain in the area being operated on) or general anaesthetic (where you’ll be asleep).

Getting here

You can find us just to the north of Sutton Coldfield. We're a short 25 minute drive from Birmingham city centre. Birmingham New Street is the nearest mainline train station to Spire Little Aston Hospital, and Blake Street train station is the closest station to the hospital. We have free on-site parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultation

You’ll meet your chosen consultant in one of our 19 private consultation rooms. They’ll discuss:

• Your symptoms and medical history
• How inguinal hernia surgery works
• The specific procedure they recommend for your needs
• The type of anaesthetic you’ll require – either a general anaesthetic (where you’ll be asleep) or a local or spinal anaesthetic (where you’ll be awake but unable to feel anything in the area being operated on)
• The potential benefits and risks of the procedure

Your consultant may need you to have additional tests or scans before they can recommend the next steps. Sometimes, particularly if you need a general anaesthetic, you will need to have a pre-operative assessment to check your fitness and overall health before the procedure.

In hospital

With hernia surgery, you can usually leave hospital on the same day. After your procedure you’ll be taken to a private room to relax until you’re ready to go home. This will normally be around four to six hours after surgery.

If you need to stay overnight, for example if you have other medical conditions or live alone, you'll stay in one of our private, en-suite rooms. All of our rooms have:

• TV
• En-suite
• Window
• Armchair
• Telephone
• Patient information booklet

Anaesthetic

Hernia surgery is often carried out under local or spinal anaesthetic, meaning you won’t be able to feel anything in the area being operated on but you will be awake. Sometimes, a general anaesthetic may be required, meaning you’ll be asleep throughout the procedure.

Your operation

The hernia repair surgery will usually take no more than an hour.

Pain management

After your operation, you’ll probably feel some pain or discomfort – this is normal after surgery. Our nursing team will give you painkillers to help you with this.

Your recovery

Your consultant will provide you with your expected recovery timeline. You should be back to most activities within six weeks of your operation, though it may be sooner depending on the type of hernia repair you had. You’ll return for a check-up appointment with your consultant a few weeks after your operation. As a guide, here’s a typical recovery timeline for hernia repair: