COVID advice for hernia surgery

How COVID has changed our hernia surgery 

The pre-surgery process is altered due to COVID and has been changed to help ensure everyone’s protection against risk of infection. The hospitals that we are using to perform this surgery in do not look after patients with COVID.

The staff working in them are having weekly or twice weekly testing (depending on test used) for COVID. In addition a significant proportion have been double vaccinated and that number is increasing everyday. In order to reduce the risk of patients bringing COVID to the hospital a special protocol has to be followed.

  • We have extended our clinics and opening times to help repair your hernia as fast as possible. We aim to offer appointments within 7 days and offer  surgery within 2-3 weeks. 
  • We offer telephone consultations for those who do not wish to travel.
  • The private hospitals currently have strict rules about others attending face to face consultations or accompanying you for your surgery to reduce the opportunity of spreading COVID.
  • As part of the pre-operation process you will have a pre-admission appointment. Due to COVID you will need to have a COVID swab 72 hours prior to your appointment for surgery. From getting home having been swabbed you need to stay at home till you came back in for your surgery. If you’ve been given a body wash to use before surgery this is not for COVID but to reduce the risk of a wound infection. Please still use it as instructed.

This is the essence of the extra steps you’ll need to follow. Follow them and everyone will have done what they can to make this as safe as possible. These hospitals are safe to receive care in.

This advice was intended to be both informative and reassuring. Remember if things changed recently the detail of the instruction may alter and if what you are told by the hospital differs please follow their advice. If you have any questions on this process please ask the hospital you are coming to for clarity. The process described here is generic rather than specific for this reason.

Click here for advice on managing hernia pain during COVID