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Founded in 1856, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable hospitals. Our commitment to our patients is in the quality of our care, the range of our services and the quality of our consultants and staff.
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St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is renowned for its highly specialised clinics that provide exemplary care for patients. Our expert Consultants cover the full range of specialties and are able to treat almost any medical condition.
We’re proud to be the chosen Hospital for some of the world’s leading Consultants. Our specialist Consultants cover a wide range of specialisms and are committed to our values as a Hospital.
Open mesh or tension free mesh is an advanced technique was pioneered by St John & St Elizabeth and has been perfected over thousands of successful operations.
It involves positioning a piece of fine mesh at the opening and allowing the body to heal naturally around it for a successful and enduring repair carried out in minutes under local anaesthetic.
Open mesh repair is an advanced form of hernia repair using mesh that was pioneered by our Hernia Unit. Perfected over thousands of operations it is now regarded as one of the most successful and reliable forms of hernia repair.
During an ‘open mesh repair’ the surgeon makes a small incision at the hernia site. The problematic bulge is then returned and a fine piece of mesh, that is both sterile and inert, is placed over the hole. The hernia mesh implant is then held in place as the outer incision is closed so that the healing process can start. Sensing the presence of the mesh the body creates fibrous tissue to grow around and interlace it. This increases the strength of the area so the weakness that caused the hernia is eliminated.
Tension Free Mesh Hernia Repair has largely replaced the traditional procedure of stitching together the hernia opening. It is now a reliable alternative to the traditional method which can leave the hernia area weak and liable to further hernias. Open Mesh Repair is also preferred to the conventional method as it does not necessitate the use of general anaesthesia and it can be performed as day surgery with patients returning home the same day. As it is less invasive and tissue trauma is kept to a minimum, patients can also resume normal activity and work within days. There is also less chance the the hernia will reoccur.
Our Consultants are highly-trained and proficient when applying the technique and have written evidence-based papers that have been published in some of the the world’s leading academic journals.
Only in extremely rare cases are we unable to treat a patient. At London Hernia we have operated successfully on a number of patients that have been turned away by other hospitals because of their age, breathing, heart conditions or complexity of the hernia.
The open mesh procedure is well suited to older patients as it eliminates the need for general anaesthesia and the rapid recovery rate means they can maintain their health and fitness.
As many hernias do not hurt the temptation is to just ignore them. However, not getting medical advice can be damaging and is not recommended. If left the hernia will grow and discomfort and pain, even if negligible to start with, will intensify.
One of London Hernia’s leading consultants, Mr Martin Kurzer, is an expert in the application of the open mesh repair method. He was one of the first surgeons in the UK to advocate the use of mesh for all abdominal hernias.
If you have a question regarding the open mesh hernia repair method or would like to book an initial consultation you can call our team on 020 3370 1014 or email us at [email protected].
The Hernia Unit provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of all hernia types and can offer a number of surgery options depending on the individual needs of each patient.
Our Hospital is renowned for providing exemplary levels of care across more than 90 services. From orthopaedics, to urology, our private GP practice and Urgent Care Clinic, our services are led by some of London’s leading Consultants. For more information, and to find a service suitable for your care, find out more about the services that we offer.
If you have any questions relating to treatment options or pricing information, get in touch with us by filling out one of our contact boxes or giving us a call on 020 3370 1014.
Our Appointments Team have a dedicated and caring approach to finding you the earliest appointment possible with the best specialist.
If you are self-paying you don’t need a referral from your GP for a consultation. You can simply refer yourself* and book an appointment.
If you have health insurance (e.g. Bupa, Axa Health, Aviva), you will need to contact your insurer to get authorisation before any treatment, and in most cases you will also require a referral letter from your GP.
If you are not registered with a GP, we have an in-house private GP practice you can use. Alternatively, we can suggest the most appropriate course of action for you to take, given your location and individual circumstances.
*Please note – for investigations such as X-rays and MRIs, a referral will be required. However, we may be able to arrange this for you through our on-site private GP.
