4.1 Medical consultation
A hernia must always be operated on to prevent strangulation of internal organs or to ensure appropriate hernia treatment. There is no other form of cure. To provide you with the best treatment possible, your doctor needs your cooperation. In an in-depth talk and after having reviewed all the examination results you will jointly decide which surgical technique is best for you.
For the talk with your doctor we have drawn up a short checklist of possible questions to help you gain a better understanding of your disease and how it can be treated. You can also make a note of your doctor’s answers as well as notes of your own.
Questions addressed to the doctor about the disease:
- At exactly what site have I the hernia?
- Are organs affected which are now protruding through a gap in the abdominal wall (or diaphragm)?
- If organs are affected: what implications has this for me?
- Must further examinations be carried out for me and if yes, which?
Questions addressed to the doctor about the operation:
- Why should I undergo surgery?
- Which surgical technique is most suitable in my case and why?
- What exactly is done during this operation?
- If the operation performed under general anaesthesia, spinal anaesthesia or local anaesthesia?
- When will be operation be conducted and how long does it take?
- What risks does the operation pose?
- Around how big will my scar be?
- How long am I likely to have to spend in hospital?