Femoral hernia repair

You should no longer have the hernia. Surgery should prevent the serious complications that a hernia can cause, helping you go back to your normal activities.

The hernia will not get better without surgery. You can leave the hernia alone, but this is not usually recommended as it can cause complications.

The hernia can be dangerous because your intestines or other structures within your abdomen can get trapped and have their blood supply cut off.

Different kinds of anaesthetic are possible. The procedure usually takes about 45 minutes.

Your surgeon will make a cut either directly over the lump or a little higher up and will remove the 'hernial sac'.

They will narrow the hole (femoral canal) through which the contents of your abdomen passed, using stitches or a synthetic mesh to allow just enough space for the femoral artery and vein. Your surgeon will close your skin.

If you smoke, stopping now may reduce your risk of developing complications and will improve your long-term health.

Try to maintain a healthy weight. You have a higher risk of developing complications if you are overweight.

Regular exercise should help to prepare you for the procedure, help you recover and improve your long-term health. Do not do exercises that involve heavy lifting or make your hernia painful. Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice.

The healthcare team are trained to reduce the risk of complications.

Any risk rates given are taken from studies of people who have had this procedure. Your doctor may be able to tell you if the risk of a complication is higher or lower for you. Some risks are higher if you are older, obese, have other health problems or you smoke. Health problems include diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.

Some complications may be serious and can even cause death.

General complications of any procedure

• Bleeding during or after the procedure.
• Infection of the surgical site (wound).
• Allergic reaction to the equipment, materials or medication.
• Venous thromboembolism (VTE) — this is a blood clot in your leg (deep-vein thrombosis - DVT) or one that has moved to your lung (pulmonary embolus).
• Chest infection — your risk is lower if you do not smoke or have stopped smoking, and have not had a recent cough or cold.

Specific complications of this procedure

• developing a collection of blood (haematoma) or fluid (seroma) under your wound
• difficulty passing urine
• injury or narrowing of the femoral vein
• injury to structures that come from your abdomen and are within the hernia
• temporary weakness of your leg
• damage to nerves that supply the skin around your groin, leading to a numb patch or continued discomfort
• the hernia coming back, you may need another procedure to fix it

Consequences of this procedure

• pain
• scarring of your skin

You should be able to go home the same day.

Increase how much you walk around over the first few days.

You should be able to return to work and normal activities after 2 weeks to 4 weeks, depending on your recovery and the type of work you do.

Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities as soon as possible. Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice.

Most people make a full recovery and can return to normal activities.

A femoral hernia is a common condition caused by a weakness in your abdominal wall, near the femoral canal. If left untreated, a femoral hernia can cause serious complications.