Your surgeon for Inguinal Hernia
Every procedure is carried out by a consultant-level surgeon.
What is Inguinal Hernia?
An inguinal hernia is tissue - usually fat or a loop of intestine - pushing through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall, in the groin canal. It shows as a bulge that appears when you stand, cough or lift and often disappears when you lie down, and it aches or drags as the day goes on.
It is why the bulge gets bigger as the day goes on: standing, lifting and straining raise the pressure inside the abdomen, and every rise pushes more tissue through the same gap. An inguinal hernia does not heal on its own, and it tends to grow.
It matters because the tissue can become trapped: the bulge turns hard and tender, cannot be pushed back in and comes with pain or vomiting - that is treated as an emergency. The examination usually confirms it, and an ultrasound or CT scan is used when it is unclear.
At Primitive Health Care the usual treatment is laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Three small keyhole cuts are made, the sac is pushed back, a mesh is fixed behind the muscle and the cuts are closed with fine stitches. It takes 45 to 90 minutes and most patients go home the same day.
Illustration only. Your surgeon will explain your own findings.
Inguinal Hernia treatment at a glance
The essentials, before you read any further.
| Condition | Inguinal Hernia |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair with mesh |
| Duration | 45 to 90 minutes |
| Performed by | Senior Surgeon |
| Anaesthesia | General |
| Hospital stay | Same day discharge in most cases |
| Back to routine | 3 to 5 days |
Are you experiencing any of these?
If two or more of these sound familiar, it is worth speaking to a surgeon.
- A bulge or swelling in the groin
- The bulge appears when you stand, cough or strain
- A dragging or aching feeling in the groin
- Pain when you lift, bend or exercise
- The bulge grows larger over weeks or months
- A bulge that becomes hard, tender or cannot be pushed back in
Talk to our medical adviser for free
No cost for the first consultation and no obligation to book anything.
Laser treatment compared with open surgery
Both are real options. This is how they differ in practice.
| Open surgery | Laser surgery | |
|---|---|---|
| Cuts and incisions | A 6 to 8 cm cut in the groin | Three small keyhole cuts only |
| Stitches | Many stitches along the cut | A few fine stitches or glue |
| Pain afterwards | Significant, needs strong painkillers | Mild, controlled with routine medication |
| Bleeding | More | Minimal |
| Hospital stay | One to two days | Same day discharge in most cases |
| Return to work | Two to three weeks | Three to five days |
| Risk of wound infection | Higher, open wound | Low |
Laser treatment is not right for every patient or every grade of the condition. Your surgeon will tell you honestly if open surgery is the better choice for you.
Why patients choose laser treatment
What actually changes for you, day to day.
Smaller cuts and scars
Three small keyhole cuts instead of one long cut in the groin, so the scar is much smaller.
Same-day discharge
Most patients go home within a few hours of the repair rather than staying in hospital overnight.
Back to work in days
Light routine usually resumes within three to five days instead of two to three weeks.
Mesh that holds
A mesh is fixed behind the muscle, so the groin repair is stronger and the hernia comes back less often.
Lower infection risk
Small wounds carry much less risk of a wound infection than one long open cut in the groin.
Senior surgeons
Every procedure is performed by a professor-level general or laparoscopic surgeon.
What happens on the day
Step by step, so there are no surprises.
-
Consultation and diagnosis
20 to 30 minutes- You meet the surgeon and describe the groin bulge and when it appears
- Examination confirms the hernia and checks that nothing is trapped
- The surgeon explains whether keyhole repair is suitable for you
-
Admission and preparation
1 to 2 hours- Registration at the hospital on the day of the procedure
- Blood pressure, pulse and routine blood tests are checked
- Consent is signed and an IV line is started
-
Anaesthesia
10 to 15 minutes- General anaesthesia, so you stay asleep throughout
- You feel nothing during the procedure
-
The laparoscopic procedure
45 to 90 minutes- Three small cuts are made in the lower abdomen
- The hernia sac is freed and pushed back into place
- A mesh is placed behind the muscle to close the weak spot
- The cuts are closed with fine stitches or glue
-
Recovery and observation
2 to 4 hours- You wake up in the recovery area and nurses check your vitals
- You start taking fluids once you are fully awake
-
Discharge and follow-up
Within 24 hours- Most patients go home the same day or the next morning
- Painkillers, no-heavy-lifting advice and early walking are given
- A follow-up visit is arranged and wound care advice is given
What will it cost?
The cost depends on the size of the hernia, whether it is a first-time or a recurrence, the hospital you choose and the operating surgeon. Send your details and a care coordinator will call you with an exact figure. There is no obligation to book.
