In more traditional hernia repairs, the weakness is stitched together to seal the “hole”. Unfortunately suturing like this often recreates the tension that created the hernia. Too often the stitches simply cut through the tissue leading to the recurrence of the hernia within a short period of time, (sometimes before the patient has got back to the ward). Worse still the tension inhibits normal healing and causes pain. That's why in hernias over 2cm in size, the London Hernia Clinic uses tension free repairs.

The key to providing a tension free repair is not to struggle to bring the edges of the hernial defect together but rather to bridge the gap between the edges with specialist surgical mesh.

The surgical mesh used by the London Hernia Clinic is exceptionally thin and flexible. This acts as a bridge or scaffolding for growth of new tissue to support the abdominal wall. No muscle is cut, or stiched. Overtime, the mesh safely becomes incorporated into the muscle layer, creating a very strong, permanent repair.

The mesh can be used in all types of hernias either as a sheet of material stitched over the hole or less commonly, rolled into a plug which is then inserted into the hernial defect and held in place with a few stitches. Either way, it is strong enough to allow our patients to resume normal activity without concern for pain or recurrence.

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