Hernia surgery at Spire Manchester Hospital

Spire Manchester Hospital offers a comprehensive range of specialist treatments in purpose-built private hospital facilities in Didsbury.

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.

Finding us

The hospital is close to the city centre, with Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria train stations being approximately 20 minutes in a taxi and only 10 minutes from Manchester Airport. We have free parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultation

Your initial consultation will be in one of our 18 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

Usually, you can 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 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 a recovery pod until you’re ready to go home – usually for around four to six 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

You'll need someone to be with you at home for 24 hours after your procedure. 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 seven to 10 days 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: