Hernia surgery at Spire Liverpool Hospital

At Spire Liverpool Hospital, we pride ourselves on our long-standing reputation as a private hospital that provides high standards of patient care.

We offer fast access to treatment for inguinal hernias if they’re causing you pain or complications. You have a choice of expert consultants who can perform the procedure and offer you a treatment and recovery plan that’s personalised to your needs.

Coming into hospital

We're only a 15 minute car journey from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The hospital is approximately four miles from Liverpool Lime Street station in the city centre. There’s free parking available for you and your visitors.

Meeting your consultant

Your appointment will take place in one of our 21 consultation rooms. Your consultant will discuss:

• Your symptoms and examine your abdomen and suspected hernia
• Your general health and medical history
• If they recommend any additional tests or scans to help plan your treatment
• Your treatment options and expected recovery timeline
• What inguinal hernia surgery involves and the potential benefits and risks
• The 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 pain in the area being operated on)

You may also need a pre-operative assessment before you can proceed with surgery. This will be to ensure the procedure is suitable for you, especially if you need a general anaesthetic.

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 en-suite private rooms, which will have:

• TV
• Window
• Armchair
• En-suite
• Bedside cabinet

If you’re able to go home on the same day, you can relax in a private room until you’re ready to leave – usually for about 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.

Pain after hernia surgery

You’re likely to feel some soreness and discomfort once your anaesthetic wears off. Everyone experiences pain differently, and our nurses will be able to give you painkillers to help you manage it.

Recovery time

You should be back to your normal activities in around six weeks. You’ll have a follow-up appointment with your consultant around one week after your surgery.

Your consultant will be able to advise you on your expected recovery time, but as a guide, here’s a typical recovery timeline: