subject: How Do I Prepare For Hernia Repair Surgery? [print this page] Many people suffer from a hernia and sometimes need to undergo surgery. In fact, over 500,000 patients undergo hernia repair operations every year. The weakening of the abdomen wall in the body, which lets contents of the abdomen to protrude the abdomen wall, can result in a hernia. In other words, a hernia is basically an area of weakness in the abdomen wall. Hernias are usually quickly diagnosed because their symptoms are easy to discover. You might feel a large bump under the skin around the groin area, or experience pain when urinating or going to the bathroom, coughing or lifting heavy objects. If you experience any of these symptoms you should consult your primary care physician immediately.
If you do have a hernia, surgery may be required in order to fix it. During this procedure a surgical mesh is usually installed in the abdomen wall in order to strengthen it. In order to prepare for this surgical procedure you must follow these steps.
First, all patients need to be cleared for surgery. Receiving clearance depends primarily both on your age and health. Most young patients do not need to do anything to get clear. Older or unhealthier patients may need to get x-rayed, blood tests, ECGs, or other tests that depend on their individually medical history.
Once you have clearance you will required to follow the following preparations 24-hours prior to surgery: Shower the night before or the morning of surgery; do not shave the area of the body where the surgery will be preformed; do not drink or eat anything after midnight and do not consume any alcoholic beverages 24 hours before surgery. Additionally, if you take daily medication, you should ask your doctor if you should take this medication the night before and the morning of your surgery or if you should refrain from taking it. You should also speak to your doctor to see if you need to undergo any tests to determine the type of anesthesia you will need for the operation. This is very important if the patient has a certain medical complications. Also, depending on the medical condition of the patient, other pre-operational testing may be required as well.
It's also important to understand that most hernia surgeries are performed as an outpatient basis. This means that the patient will usually return home on the same day that he or she undergoes the operation. Therefore, the patient must be accompanied by someone who can drive the patient home after a short recovery from the surgery. This can be done by a family member or friend of the patient.
So, if you follow these basic steps you'll be fully prepared for surgery and before you know it you will be recovering in the comfort of your own home.
