A spigelian hernia (also known as a lateral hernia) is a rare type of abdominal hernia, and quite complex to explain. Although uncommon, we see and repair more Spigelian hernias in a year than many general surgeons manage in a career. This experience has helped us gain expertise in the treatment of and recovery from these hernias.
Spigelian hernias occur at the side of your abdomen and come through muscle layers rather than connective tissue. They can be caused as our muscles weaken and are partially replaced by fatty tissue as we age. They also become more likely as abdominal pressure increases with activity or weight gain, which can cause the muscle fibres to part and a spigelian hernia to push through.
While these hernias can push through 3 layers of muscles, they do not always push through all 3 layers which can make them symptomatic but hard to spot on clinical examination or imaging. Essentially, you can sometimes feel them but not see them.
Typical spigelian hernia symptoms include:
Spigelian hernias can be repaired under local anaesthetic and sedation, if it better suits the patient. In some cases, a laparoscopic (keyhole) repair may be preferred. Our Consultant Surgeon will examine you, determine if imaging is needed, and decide a repair strategy based on your particular hernia and situation.
As with more common hernias, patients typically resume light activity within a few days, increase this gradually, and are back to their normal activities by around 4 weeks post-surgery.
If using local anaesthetic and sedation, recovery can be quicker as this approach is gentler on the body. Whether using local anaesthetic and sedation or general anaesthetic, our team will help you at every step to improve your recovery and your results.
We have valuable recovery resources such as our Post-Surgery Advice Leaflet and Hernia Recovery Programme.
Spigelian hernia surgery starts from around £4,900 under local anaesthetic and sedation, and £5,500 under general anaesthetic. Prices can vary depending on your particular hernia and the approach taken.
Private financing is available if needed, and we work with all health insurance providers.
