We
have seen a steady rise in challenging and unusual cases referred to us here at Oxford Hernia Clinic, especially from patients who are keen to avoid
general anaesthesia.
Whilst some patients are not able to access local anaesthesia for hernia repair locally, other patients’ often have more complex hernias, which less experienced surgeons are reluctant to take on.
Patient CA, a professional singer came to us unable to find a surgeon in their locality who had the experience to operate on an unusually large umbilical hernia under local anaesthesia.
As a professional singer whose career depends upon his ability to sing, he felt that the potential risks associated with intubation and throat / vocal
cord damage under general anaesthetic was something he desperately wanted to avoid.