Dr Harsh Shah
MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Registered with Gujarat Medical Council, Reg. No. G-38738
Robotic Hernia Surgeon · Apollo Hospital, Bhat, Gandhinagar · Gota OPD, Ahmedabad
In short
Often a hernia is not the only thing on the list. A gallbladder may need to come out. A womb operation may be planned. A bowel operation may be due.
So should both be done in one go? Usually yes. There is one clear case where the answer is no.
One anaesthetic, not two. One stay in hospital. One spell off work. The total cost is usually lower.
The two operations often share the same cuts. When they do, the hernia repair adds little time to the day.
Mesh does not go into a dirty field.
If the other operation opens the bowel, germs reach the field. Mesh put in there can get infected. An infected mesh usually has to come out.
So we do one of two things. We close the gap with stitches alone. Or we leave it and repair it later. That is a choice, not a missed chance.
Common pairings, and what decides them
| Other operation | Done together? | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Gallbladder removal | Often | A clean operation. Mesh is usually safe on the day |
| Womb removal | Often | The cuts overlap and the field is usually clean |
| Prostate surgery through the belly | Sometimes | The groin is already open from behind |
| Bowel resection | With care | If the bowel is opened, mesh is left out |
| Weight loss surgery | Sometimes | A repair after weight loss often holds better |
| Emergency operation | Rarely | A dirty field and a sick patient decide against it |
If you know another operation is coming, say so early. It is far easier to plan this ahead than on the day.
Sometimes a small hernia is found during an operation booked for something else.
Two things decide what happens next. Is the field clean? And did you agree to it beforehand?
That is why the consent form often mentions repairing anything found. If either point is missing, we write it down and talk to you after.
Recovery follows the bigger of the two operations, plus a little. It is not the two added together.
The limits come from the hernia repair. Lifting waits about six weeks. That holds whatever else was done.
Often, yes. Removing a gallbladder is a clean operation. The cuts overlap. Mesh is usually safe at the same sitting. It is planned ahead, not decided on the day.
Only if the other operation makes the field dirty. In practice that means opening the bowel. With a clean operation the risk is much the same as a hernia repair on its own.
Usually a little longer than either one alone. Much shorter than two separate stays. The bigger of the two operations sets the length.
If the field is clean and you agreed beforehand, yes. If either is missing, we write it down and discuss it with you after. It is then repaired on a planned date.
Usually. One theatre session, one anaesthetic and one stay cost less than two of each. How your insurer treats two procedures in one stay is a separate question. Ask before you are admitted.
The main page on this site is robotic hernia surgery in Ahmedabad. These cover the neighbouring questions.
Where to find us
Dr Harsh Shah, MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Shah's Gastro, Cancer & Robotic Surgery Centre
Apollo Hospital, Bhat, Gandhinagar
Gota OPD, Ahmedabad
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