Anyone have experience of British Hernia Centre?
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Dear All -- After reading the horror stories surrounding mesh hernia repairs and investigating the alternatives (though still lacking confidence that there is a technique that is obviously the best), I have booked a consultation to see Mr. Hakky at the British Hernia Centre for treatment of an Inguinal Hernia, on the basis that it's always a good idea to see a specialist!
I have read through the threads on here, but will greatly appreciate hearing about anyone's experience of the British Hernia Centre or Ms Hakky, or what to expect from the treatment. I'm a very active 41 year old and hope (in fact, I expect) to go back to my previous self after the treatment. Am I being realistic?
Many thanks in advance.
0 likes, 14 replies
eric89660 Banners
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dave23271 Banners
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For every horror story there are thousands that have gone as they should…I was unlucky in the fact that after 10 yearss the mesh split and the hernia recurred but this happens to 1% …I was 1%…..I have just had the surgery done and 4 weeks post op and mending….Be prepared for recovery to take longer than the medics say…I had open surgery so recovery takes longer anyway….These folk who say they are running and doing light weights after 2 to 3 weeks are really being stupid…Listen to your body….give it time and you will be fine…..But remember one thing…it is the minor op.with major pain….but only for a very short time…..The other thing is it is one of the most common op. to be carried out….Literally thousands carried out every day so you are always going to get a horror story….law of average….dont worry and good luck…..And after a good few months you will be back to your normal self…especially at 41…i was early fifties when I had my first……the younger you are the better…all the very best…...
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Thanks dave23271 - That's reassuring.
scarymonster Banners
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I also went with a hernia specialist (Martin Kurzer) but at the London Hernia Clinic based at the hospital for St John and St Elizabeth (at St Johns Wood).
I had a read of the British Hernia website and it all seems very professional but a couple of reviews have mentioned the high costs. Have you been quoted yet?
When I had my op just over a year ago now it was a very competitively priced package for what I consider the best treatment available I could have access to. I would however echo previous comment about recovery time. It was quite a few months before I would consider myself able to get back into a gym but I am also in the 50 age bracket so I guess that counts against me recovery time wise.
I'd meet with the surgeon and see how you feel. When I met Mr Kurzer I was left in no doubt he was the person I wanted to operate on me and would be the only person I would choose in the future for myself.
I had a look for any review on your surgeon but could not find any even on iwantgreatcare dot org
fyi I had an open (non tension) mesh repair, are you looking at a repair without using mesh?
Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery after your op.
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Thanks scarymonster,
I will be having a consultation in early January, but from the British Hernia Centre's website, their preferred method is 'Tension Free Mesh', which sounds the same as that which you have had. https://www.hernia.org/tension-free-mesh/
I'm fairly nervous about anything that involves 'mesh' given the stories of considerable long-term pain seeming caused by the mesh itself digging in to soft tissues. I did consider a trip to the Shouldice Hernia Center in Canada, but have ruled that out given the risks of surgery so far from home. Do you mind if I ask how your long-term experience has been with the tension free mesh? Do you even notice that the mesh is there?
Many thanks
scarymonster Banners
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Hi again, apologies for a bit of a disjointed reply as at work so just thinking, typing and sending.
After re looking at Martin Kurzer's website I notice he worked with the British Hernia Centre for quite a while and I presume this is where the tension free method comes from that both use. My experience post op has been mostly positive and I am now at a place where I have some minor discomfort some of the time but nothing that would stop me doing anything and I would not describe it as pain. I think it's the scar tissue that gets sore and this is more pronounced if I am ill/over tired/under the weather. Post Op In summary, first few days were tough, then better after week 2 but still a way from back to normal. 3 months quite a bit better. 6 months I was glad to be that far from op and feeling a lot better. After 6 months start to forget I'd had the op done apart from odd niggles. No pain as such. 1 year I'm happy, sore scar tissue now and again but nothing to worry about for me.
I have no regrets about having the op as I really did not enjoy having the hernia and also with the knowledge that it would only worsen with time. I have documented some of my experiences with others in recent and past posts on the subject including post op diary (not that many to read through if you search my posts under my profile). Have a read through those and if you have any specific questions then drop me a post here or feel free to message me. Re the mesh question. I can't feel the mesh. It's just the scar tissue which has softened over time but still gets a little sore.
Best of luck and again feel free to ask anything.
phil17356 Banners
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Hi Banners,
I posted almost exactly the same post as yours about a year ago ( https://patient.info/forums/discuss/british-hernia-centre-anyone-had-any-experience-of-them-530724 ) with zero response from anyone. I ended up having a consultation with Mr. Hakky. I had an abdominal incisional hernia and he recommended what he called a “hybrid” approach using mesh. The British Hernia Centre (BHC) quoted me £12K for the operation which I thought was excessive.
Subsequently I used Mr Hakky’s report to me (ref comments further on) to put pressure on my GP to refer me to a colorectal consultant in Cheltenham, Mr. Borley, who heads up the team who dealt with the small bowel volvulus that resulted in the hernia in the first place; prior to that the GP was playing the “wait and see” game. I eventually had it repaired through the Nuffield hospital in Cheltenham after waiting on the NHS for a long time.
Mr Hakky is a nice guy and seems very competent but he only talked about using a mesh repair. Having researched it a bit I became very unsure about the use of mesh although there are a vast number of folk who have had mesh repairs and have had no problems.
In my case, and this may or may not be true for you, Mr Borley said that the essential thing was to restore my core functionality and he recommended using a component separation technique; I believe the cousins call this component release technique. This does not involve the use of mesh. I know that some surgeons do component separation technique plus mesh. The cost for this through the Nuffield was circa £3.2K. Everything went well but soon after the initial recovery, about 2 weeks, I had a sneezing fit and the upper part of the repair became weakened – you can tell where this is heading.
The resulting hernia eventually became sizeable and I have just had that repaired under Mr Borley using mesh. We could have gone for more component separation but it would have been a much more complex operation. Again through the Nuffield this cost circa£5.2K.
So all told it has cost me £8.4K + versus £12K with the BHC.
As I say Mr. Hakky seems like a competent surgeon. I believe his area of specialism bariatric surgery, he even has a you tube clip relating to this
My reservations with are BHC:
1. The cost.
2. The admin staff. When I read through the report from Mr Hakky there were a number of mistakes which I had to point out to the secretary and even then they did not bother to correct them. By that time I had decided to go with Mr Borley.
Let me say |I don't regret my decsion to go with Mr Borley he is an extremely experienced and professional surgeon.
I hope that helps.
Regards,
Phil.
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cindy69729 phil17356
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I rang BHC today, in desperation as I have been waiting since Oct'17 for the NHS to operate on my Divarication of the recti + Umbilical Hernia. They gave me an appointment with Mr Hakky next Wed [25th April] After researching him it seems to me that his specialist area is Bariatric Surgery. So reading your blog I have now asked for an appointment with Martin Kurzer. I am so confused & have been so anxious about the Op with the NHS who said I would be in Hospital for at least a week & would not have a belly button when it's done. They have said it is a full open abdominal repair which will take hours on the table!
I am worried - how do I find out if this surgeon [ who is a colorectal specialist] is competent? He is so arrogant I am scared to ask too many questions!
phil17356 cindy69729
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Hi Cindy,
I think there are few consultant surgeons that specialise in hernias only. Mr. Borely who did mine for instance is a colorectal specialist but a highly regarded surgeon nonetheless.
If I were in your shoes, if I felt that I could not talk freely to the consultant or that he was not trying his utmost to communicate with me in such a way that I understood what he was saying or that he didn’t understand my trepidation or concerns, then I would walk away. You are paying for this. You are entitled to be treated with respect and concern for your wellbeing and to feel comfortable with him. It’s a bit like an interview for a job really; if he strikes you as an arrogant bully would you really want to employ him to have his hands inside you? If, heaven forbid, there are complications you need to be confident that, with you in a potentially weakened state, you can talk to him about your concerns and know that he will be understanding and compassionate.
I once nearly turned a consultant down. I had to have a heart valve replaced with a prosthetic one. My GP at the time, who was very good, told me to write all my questions down on a sheet of paper, don’t pull any punches and go through them one by one with the consultant (NHS) and make sure you got the answers I needed. I did this; I had three A4 sheets of questions (single sided).
At the initial consultation I was seen by the consultant’s registrar. He was very good and explained a lot in a very easy to understand manner. He then asked me if I had any questions, so I pull out my three sheets of A4 and start going through my questions. Some of them he couldn’t answer (they were quite taxing, like what is the consultant's mortality rate for the past five years) so in the end he asked if he could see the list of questions. He then excused himself taking the questions with him and came back a bit later with the consultant himself.
The consultant was a bit put out that I was asking so many questions and said to me “It’s almost like you don’t trust me.”…… Too right I don’t .... “trust me I’m a doctor?” you must be joking, trust has to be earned and in my book you don’t earn trust by acting all arrogant and cocksure … anyway he went all quiet for a bit not answering any of the questions on the sheet and I said nothing and I was just about to tell him this was not going to work for me and walk out when he became a bit more conciliatory. After that it all went well.
Cindy, you need to be brave and ask Mr. Kurzer all the questions you want to, even if they seem minor concerns to you. Ask Mr. Kurzer how many operations of this type he has done this year and what the outcomes were. If he gets rattled or doesn’t explain in a way that you can understand or you plain don’t like him, then tell the BHC you are not satisfied with that surgeon. You don’t have to justify yourself, you are paying and you have a right to get what you want, after all it’s their reputation that is at stake and crucially, your life!
You’ve got to be as hard-nosed about this as the BHC are; they’re in it for the money.
Sorry if that’s a bit long winded and if I seem a bit forthright about it all but it makes me mad when people just filibuster and get all arrogant and expect you to buckle and agree with them.
I do so hope that you get the best of treatment that you so richly deserve.
Regards,
Phil.
scarymonster cindy69729
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Hi Cindy, if you are worried it will not hurt to meet and speak with Mr Martin Kurzer. He is an extremely kind and caring man and will put your mind at ease. If he is not the best person for the job he will advise you who is I'm sure.
scarymonster cindy69729
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Following on from my last post. I thought Martin Kurzer was now at London Hernia based at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth in St John's Wood. So bare that in mind if BHC say they cannot arrange an appointment with him.
bluenewt Banners
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I hope you are well. I came across your thread whilst doing some research for my own hernia op. I am due to meet Mr Hakky and would be grateful if you could tell me if you chose to use him as your surgeon and if so, the experience that you had.