Hernia

A hernia describes a small piece of abdominal lining and sometimes a section of the bowel, which bulges out through a weak area in the muscle of the abdominal wall.

You may hear your child’s hernia referred to as an umbilical hernia or inguinal hernia; this states the exact location of hernia on your child’s abdomen.

Treatment

Your child will need a small operation under general anaesthetic and should be able to go home on the same day. The muscle wall will be repaired and closed with stitches.

Discharge Home

You will be discharged home once your child fully recovers from general anaesthetic. They will have to eat and drink before the discharge.

Hernia Wound site

It is normal to have some bruising and swelling around the wound site. This will improve gradually over the following weeks.

If you notice that the wound becomes red, swollen, feels hot to touch or starts oozing either blood or pus this may be an indication that the wound has become infected.

If you notice that your child is more irritable than normal or has developed a temperature, please contact your GP or local accident and emergency department for further advice.

Pain Control

Pain medication such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen should be given regularly at least for the first 24 hours following surgery. It is important not to wait until the wound becomes painful.

The hospital staff will instruct you on pain relief.

Please have Paracetamol (Calpol) and Ibuprofen (Nurofen) ready at home.

Infection

It is important to keep the operation site clean and dry for the first few days to allow healing to occur.

“Bugs” (bacteria) that cause infections thrive on warm, moist areas, so an operation site is a perfect place for them to grow.

Bathing

Please do not give your child a bath or shower for the first two days after their operation to reduce the chance of the wound becoming infected.

After two days it will be possible for your child to have a bath or shower, however we do not recommend the use of bubble bath or oils in the bath water for the first week after the operation. These can cause irritation to the sensitive wound site and can sting.

General care

The stitches around the wound site are dissolvable. This means that they do not need to be removed but it can take up to two to three weeks for these stitches to fully dissolve.

It is advisable to dress your child in loose clothing such as tracksuit bottoms rather than harsher material such as denim.

Such materials and clothing may rub against the wound site and stitches, causing irritation and discomfort.

Nappies too should be kept loose to prevent rubbing.

Activity

Playing on toys that need to be straddled (bicycles, rocking horses) should be avoided for the first two weeks.

Swimming is not recommended for 7-10 days following surgery. School age children can go back to school within a week.

IMPORTANT: After surgery, if your child becomes unwell with a fever, swelling at the wound site, difficulty passing urine or prolonged bleeding from the wound site, please take your child to your local accident and emergency department immediately.

Further information

RCOA – Your child’s general anaesthetic

Contact Numbers

Pre-op: Ward T11 admin: 020 3447 1100 (08.00-16.00)

Pre and Post-op: Admission’s team admin: 07966 774 271 (08.00-16.00)

Ward T11S: 020 3447 1103 or 07950 869 745

UCLH Switchboard: 020 3456 7890