Service
Hernia surgery
Hernia surgery returns the contents of the hernia to the abdomen and closes the opening in the abdominal wall, most often with a mesh that strengthens the weak spot. Inguinal (groin), umbilical and femoral hernias are operated on under local or general anaesthesia, and you go home the same day.
Inguinal and umbilical hernia
A bulge in the groin or at the navel that appears with effort, coughing or standing and goes back when you lie down. The abdominal wall is naturally weaker in some places — in the groin, at the navel, along an old scar — and part of the abdominal contents can bulge through such a spot. It arises with effort, coughing, lifting loads, pregnancy or with age. A hernia cannot be "trained away" and does not go back on its own: the opening stays and, over time, most often gets bigger.
See also:
How is it done?
Through an incision over the hernia, the hernia sac is returned to the abdomen and the opening is closed with a stitch and a mesh. The mesh grows into the tissue and stays permanently. With an umbilical hernia after pregnancy there is often also a gap between the abdominal muscles, which can be treated in the same procedure.
→ Separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)
Local or general?
Inguinal, umbilical and femoral hernias can be operated on under local anaesthesia with sedation — without general anaesthesia and with a quicker return home — or under general anaesthesia. The price differs. Which is right for you depends on the hernia and on you, and is agreed at the examination. A ventral hernia (at the scar of an earlier operation) is planned individually.
An emergency
A hernia that suddenly cannot be pushed back, with severe pain, nausea or vomiting, is not something to book an appointment for — it needs the emergency service.
When is the procedure not suitable?
The procedure is postponed with an active skin infection of the abdomen and with an acute cold with a cough, because coughing strains the mesh. With large hernias after earlier abdominal operations, hernias that are trapped (incarcerated) at the time of examination and hernias in people with serious heart or lung disease, we refer you to a hospital, because such a procedure requires hospital conditions. With uncontrolled diabetes or a clotting disorder, it is not done without agreement with the doctor who manages your treatment. With a body mass index above 35 the risk of the hernia returning is considerably higher, which we discuss at the examination.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — a collection of fluid at the site of the hernia, temporarily reduced sensation of the skin, groin pain that lasts longer.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Umbilical hernia under local anaesthesia | €1,800–2,000 |
| Umbilical hernia under general anaesthesia | €2,300–2,500 |
| Inguinal hernia, one side, local anaesthesia | €2,000–2,500 |
| Inguinal hernia, one side, general anaesthesia | €2,500–3,000 |
| Inguinal hernia extending into the scrotum, general anaesthesia | €3,000–3,200 |
| Femoral hernia under local anaesthesia | €2,200–2,700 |
| Femoral hernia under general anaesthesia | €2,700–3,200 |
| Ventral hernia | €2,500–3,500 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: general surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) — with an umbilical hernia after pregnancy, the gap between the abdominal muscles is treated in the same procedure.
- Hydrocele — in men, an inguinal hernia is often operated on together with a hydrocele, in the same procedure.
- Tummy tuck — an abdominal hernia is planned together with the procedure on the abdominal wall, in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Can a hernia come back? It can, less often with a mesh. It is monitored at follow-up visits.
Which hernias are operated on at the polyclinic? Inguinal, umbilical and smaller abdominal wall hernias, including hernias in the scar of an earlier operation, when they are smaller than about five centimetres. We refer larger and more complex hernias to a hospital.
When can I return to sport? Walking straight away, easy cycling and swimming after two weeks.
Can the mesh be felt? As a rule, no. In the first months you may feel a slight hardness or pulling at the site of the hernia, which lessens as the mesh becomes part of the tissue.
Does it hurt after the operation? In the first days the pain is strongest when getting up, coughing and laughing, and it is managed with ordinary painkillers. Long-lasting pain in the groin after the operation is rare but possible, and if it lasts longer than three months, get in touch to arrange a follow-up visit.
Can a hernia go away by itself? In adults, no. The opening in the abdominal wall does not heal and widens with the years. Only in infants does an umbilical hernia often close by itself by the age of three.
Are abdominal exercises good or harmful? Exercises do not close a hernia, and straining when lifting loads can make it bigger. Until the operation, exercises with heavy strain on the abdomen are avoided; walking and swimming do no harm.
What helps until the examination, and what does not? A hernia that goes back by itself when you lie down and does not hurt can wait for the agreed examination. Until then, avoid lifting heavy things, straining and standing for long, and if you have a cough or constipation, deal with them, because both make a hernia worse. A hernia belt does not treat it and can damage the skin, so we do not advise it.
When may I lift loads after hernia surgery? After six to eight weeks. Until then, lifting heavy things is avoided so that the site where the hernia was closed heals without strain. You can walk straight away, easy cycling and swimming are possible after two weeks, and most people return to training after four to six weeks.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.