Hernia surgery at Spire Parkway Hospital

Spire Parkway Hospital is an established local private hospital providing comprehensive treatments and care to our patients in Birmingham and the surrounding 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. We have a range of treatments available. All have their own potential benefits and risks which your consultant will discuss with 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).

Finding us

Spire Parkway Hospital is situated a few miles south of Birmingham city centre in Solihull, the hospital is near to both Birmingham International and Solihull train stations. We have free parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultation

Your initial consultation will be in one of our 14 private consultation rooms. During your appointment, your consultant will discuss:

• Your symptoms and check your abdomen and suspected hernia
• Your health and medical history
• What you’d like to achieve through treatment
• Which surgical method is best for you and what it involves
• The anaesthetic you’ll need – either a general anaesthetic (where you’ll be asleep) or a local or spinal anaesthetic (where you’ll be awake but unable to feel pain in the area being operated on)

Your consultant will also explain if you need to have further tests and scans to diagnose your hernia and decide which surgical technique they recommend for you. Before proceeding, you may also need to have a pre-operative assessment. This is to make sure the surgery is right for you, particularly if you’re having a general anaesthetic.

They’ll then outline a treatment and recovery plan that’s tailored to you.

Your visit

You can usually leave hospital on the same day as your surgery. You may need to stay overnight if you have other medical conditions or live alone. If so, you’ll have one of our 38 en-suite private rooms, which will have:

• TV
• En-suite
• Window
• Armchair
• Free WiFi

If you’re able to go home on the same day, you can relax in either a private room or the day ward until you’re ready to go home – usually for about five hours after surgery.

The operation

During the operation, you’ll have either:

• A general anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be asleep – usually required for keyhole (laparoscopic) procedures
• A spinal or local anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be awake but unable to feel anything in the region being operated on – this is usually used for open hernia repair surgery

Hernia repair surgery typically takes less than 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 two weeks 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: