I am 1 63 year-old male who has developed a small umbilical hernia over the last year or so - GP referred me to Digestive diseases clinic at Royal Sussex County where I saw the consultant surgeon Mr Etienne Moore who has offered me a mesh repair operation. Pre-op assessment with health-care assitant and staff nurse at Victoria Hospital Lewes has given me a day surgery date of 27th Feb but has left a lot of questions unanswered. A search of the results of this sort of operation leads to rather worrying results but since at least the op date is early enough for me to heal before a planned active summer I am inclined to accept the risk of complications to reduce the long-term risk of future hernia problems. This will be my first ever general anaesthetic, first ever op apart from dentistry, but in order to maintain an active life it seems sensible to go ahead with the op despite some of the worrying complications that can result from these mesh repair operations.
Any comments or advice?