If you’ve been diagnosed with bilateral groin hernias, you may have a few questions – Are bilateral hernias more complicated to repair than a single hernia? Will I need more time to recover? Our friendly team is here to support you, put you at ease and arrange an appointment for you with our highly experienced Consultant Surgeon, usually within one week of contacting us!
Our Consultant Surgeon has over 25 years of experience and has performed around 2,000 hernia repairs, including bilateral hernia repairs. At Hernia Clinic Hampshire, we have the expertise to discuss the different approaches to double inguinal hernia repair, to help you understand your hernias and to determine which approach best suites your particular needs and reactivates your life!
Bilateral groin hernia surgery is an instance of when a laparoscopic approach, for you, might be better than an open repair. Using this approach, we can repair both of your hernias at the same time. However, this surgery can only be done under general anaesthetic and has a higher risk of more complications.
The recovery period is much slower than a one-sided repair, but can be quicker than an open repair of both hernias on the same day.
Many patients, particularly those who are older, frailer or have certain health problems, can benefit from a staged approach where we repair one side first and the other side around 2 weeks later. This way, we can utilise our pioneering local anaesthetic and sedation technique, which is much easier on the body than general anaesthetic and has been perfected over the years by our Consultant Surgeon.
If you have been diagnosed with double inguinal hernias, there’s a good chance that only one of them may be symptomatic. In fact, in most patients with bilateral hernias one is much more symptomatic than the other.
Even if only one hernia is symptomatic, the chances of a non-symptomatic side becoming symptomatic and in need of repair is about 80% over 12-18 months. You may decide to repair both hernias, even if one causes no discomfort. This is one of the many factors you will discuss during your consultation.
Recovery after bilateral hernia surgery can vary from patient to patient, and depending on the approach used. For example, a younger and fitter patient might recover quicker from laparoscopic bilateral hernia surgery, whereas the overall recovery period for other types of patients might be the same for both a laparoscopic approach and a staged open surgery approach.
Choosing the right bilateral hernia repair approach for you can be complex. During your consultation, our expert Consultant Surgeon will help you make an informed decision.
Read our post surgery advice on recovery and returning to activity
Also check out our bespoke rehabilitation exercise programme, which you will gain access to after booking surgery with us!
Nuffield health Wessex – SO53 2DZ
Spire Southampton Hospital – SO16 6UY
