Skip to content

WHAT DO PATIENTS WANT FROM THEIR HERNIA REPAIR

Hernia repair and patients’ expectations

You are being invited to take part in a proposed study.

It should not take longer then 10 - 12 minutes of your time.

We would like to ask you for help. To help us, hernia surgeons, understand your needs better.

We are looking for those who are 18 years or over and have a hernia, or have had a hernia repaired.

Please take time to read the following information and decide whether or not you wish to take part.

The main aim of this study is to understand your expectations from hernia repair.

Using these results we will create a guidence paper for hernia surgeons prompting them to pay more attention to the needs of their patients.

The answers you give will be anonymous. If however you wish to recieve the results of this study, then please leave us your email adress which we will only use to send you the final document.

If you feel we have not asked any questions that really matter to you, please add this into our free comment text box. This will also be anonymous. 

Thank you.

Hernia research collaborative
1.I am
2.My age is
3.My nationality is
4.I live in (country)
5.My hernia is
6.I have had 
7.In my previous repairs
8.My main motivation to have my hernia repaired is (Please select up to 3 items)
9.When selecting a hospital / clinic I prefer
10.When selecting a surgeon to operate on your hernia (Please select up to 3 options).
11.It is important to me that the surgeon I see at an appointment is the one that will perform my operation.
12.I need the surgeon to explain to me as much as possible about my diagnosis and surgery in a language I understand.
13.It is important to me that the surgeon speaks to me and offers me alternatives I can choose from - for example open or keyhole surgery, or no operation if I dont need one just now. 
14.I would like to be told what happens if I have no operation at all. 
15.I would like to be told about surgical non-mesh options.
16.I don't need everything explained, I believe the surgeon knows best and I will trust them.
17.I need to know what impact the operation is going to have on my quality of life?
18.I would like the surgeon to talk me through the risks to sexual function (if any) as a result of my operation.
19.I would like the surgeon to discuss with me all the potential complications of the operation before they operate on my hernia.
20.I would like to be part of a patient group to share information and support on my diagnosis and operation.
21.I would like to get reading material (information booklet / internet webpage etc..) beforehand, so I can educate myself.
22.I would like the surgeon to offer me a preoperative rehabilitation programme so I can get as fit as possible for the operation. (For example several visits to a physio, dietitian advice, special gym for people with similiar health issues like I have...)
23.If I was told that it will increase the likelihood of me having no postoperative complications or hernia recurrence, I would be willing to delay my operation to give me time to stop smoking / lose weight / get fitter etc.
24.In hernia surgery, there is often a choice regarding surgical options. There can be a quick fix operation, that works well for a few years and then the hernia comes back. OR there can be a more complicated operation, which takes longer to recover etc but the hernia repair is likely to last much longer. And surgery on hernias that come back are often more difficult to perform. Would you rather
25.Based on what I have heard about and read before I think I would prefer
26.When choosing what operation I have to repair my hernia
27.I would like to understand the risks and benefits of each type of mesh, for my specific hernia.
28.If I was offered to choose my mesh without it costing me anything, based on what I have heard about or read in the media, I would likely choose one
29.The day of the operation
30.During surgery
31.It is important for me to be able to discuss details about my operation with my surgeon afterwards.
32.After the operation
33.After my operation, I fear most: (Please only select up to 3 options).
34.A hernia registry stores data about patients who have had hernia surgery. The data can come from visits with your surgeon, or telephone/letter responses. It makes the follow up more systematic and less likely that a problem will be overlooked in the future. Data from such registries help predict outcomes for other patients. I would like to be entered on a hernia registry.
35.After my operation I would like to be checked 
36.I want advice on how I can reduce the chance of my hernia coming back.
37.I don’t mind if I have a small recurrence of my hernia, as long as it doesn’t limit me or hurt.
38.If I was told that small recurrence will likely become a large hernia again requiring the same or even bigger operation, I would change my answer on the previous question.
39.I have had my repair and
40.The surgeon that operated on me, has fullfilled all my expectations.
41.Anything we have forgotten to ask?
42.If you wish to be sent all the results, please leave us your contact details here. Thank you for your time!