Hernia surgery at Spire Thames Valley Hospital

At Spire Thames Valley Hospital, we take pride in providing a high standard of private hospital care to our patients in the Thames Valley, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Windsor areas.

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.

Your consultant will recommend a treatment based on the location, size and type of hernia you have and your general health. They may offer you a totally extra-peritoneal laparoscopy (TEP) for hernia surgery - a new keyhole procedure where your surgeon repairs your hernia without needing to cut into the lining covering your abdominal organs. Your consultant will use mesh to repair the weakness in your abdominal wall. This procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep.

Your consultant will discuss the potential benefits and risks of surgery with you.

Getting here

We're only a 10 minute drive from both the M4 and M40 motorways and we’re less than half an hour from central London by train. We have free on-site parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultation

You’ll meet your chosen consultant in one of our 10 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 may need to have a pre-operative assessment to check your fitness and overall health before the procedure.

Your stay

For most inguinal hernia repair surgery, you can leave on the same day, so you won’t need to stay overnight. However, if you do need to stay with us (for example if you have other medical conditions or live alone), you’ll be able to stay in one of our 38 private, en-suite rooms, all of which have:

• A TV
• A window
• An armchair
• An en-suite bathroom with towels
• A lockable bedside table

For day case procedures, you’ll be able to relax in a private, room until you’re ready to go home. This will usually be at least six hours after your procedure.

Anaesthetic

For keyhole (laparoscopic) procedures, you’ll need a general anaesthetic, where you’ll be completely asleep. For open surgery, you can usually have a local or spinal anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be awake but unable to feel pain where you’re being operated on.

Procedure duration

Inguinal hernia repair surgery typically takes under one hour.

After surgery

It’s normal to feel some pain or discomfort after hernia surgery, so to make your recovery easier, our nurses will give you medication to help you manage pain.

Going home

Your consultant will be able to advise you on your expected recovery time, based on the surgery you had and your overall health. For most people, you should be back to your usual activities in around six weeks. You’ll return for a check-up appointment with your consultant around one week after your operation.

Although everyone’s different and your consultant will be able to give you advice specific to you, here’s a typical recovery timeline: