Hernia Op

[Grandma Joan]

Dad is 90 with VaD
We cancelled a Hernia op in Feb as his arthritis was giving him a lot of pain and the GP advised it would be too much for him and my Mum to cope with at that time. We now have another date for mid June.
My Mum (ex nurse) is keen for him to have the op as she fears for him if it becomes strangulated.
My sister and I fear for both of them as, as well as his dementia, he has a dodgy heart but at the moment his arthritis is okay.
So moral dilemma.
Mum is going to see GP about it and I think he will say if it is not paining him then leave well alone. But ultimately he will leave the decision to us. When I ask Dad he says well I had better get it done but of course he doesn't realise there will be post operative pain and that will be difficult for him and my 89 year old mother to cope with.
Does anyone have any comments or similar day surgery experiences ?

 

[danny]

Hi, this is quite a difficult situation to know what to do for the best. Personally I would listen to the doctors and then decide. I hope that whatever decision you all make is the right one for your dad and wish you all the best with this.

 

[hollycat]

Have already made a similar decision regarding my mum i.e. asked myself the question, what would mum have wanted ?

And therein lies the answer, i.e. mum would want to be operated on irrespective of the risks involved.

Hope this helps by asking a question back i.e. what would dad have wanted ?

It doesn't make it any easier for US, the carers, but respecting our loved ones "general" wishes I sincerely feel a little better in myself when I try and act as MY MUM.

Hope this helps

 

[Onlyme]

If he has all those medical conditions it will be up to the person giving the anaesthetic to make the final decision. They may not want to risk it.

 

[littlegem]

Hello,
my hubby has just come out of hospital, he needed a gall bladder removal urgently due to sepsis but when they reviewed his medical notes they decided it was too big a risk.
They said the risks outweighed the benefits.
Unfortunately this means the sepsis will probably keep returning so I was warned he will have to keep going back into hospital for IV antibiotics.
Some things they do take out of our hands.

 

[marsaday]

My FIL (81 and late stage ALZ but still mobile) has a large hernia as a result of an operation several years back. We have decided on GP's advice to leave well alone and if it kills him-so be it. He will be offered appropriate pain relief. He could in no way cope with hospital/recovery from surgery and for what?

 

[Linda Mc]

My husband had his done day surgery and I was able to stay with him the whole time (apart from theatre) so was able to reassure him until he was asleep and there during the waking up process. He made a good recovery however he was only 75 and apart from his Alzheimer's no other medical issues. I too was worried about him becoming an emergency and so went ahead with the planned operation.

It was a very long day so be prepared for that I had to be there at 6.30am and left at 8pm.

 

[Nebiroth]

I would be inclined to get the opinion of a surgeon and anaesthetist. I strongly suspect that they would have the same view as the GP - that all of the other medical problems make surgery of any kind too big a risk, and that it is better to adopt what is called "watchful waiting", in other words, there would be regular reviews of his condition to make sure it is not showing any signs of complications.

Obviously, if the hernia shows signs of getting worse or even strangulating, then the surgery would have to go ahead as at that point the risk/benefit balance has shifted in favour of it.

A lot will depend on the type of hernia, the tissues it involves, whether it is causing any symptoms and how likely it is to become complicated

Although complications like strangulation are actually rare hernias are usually repaired because for most people the procedure is relatively simple, safe and makes a permanent cure. However, if you have a lot of other problems including being elderly, then a hernia that is not causing any severe problems or is judged unlikely to become complicated, it will probably be left - but closely monitored.

 

[Grandma Joan]

When planning for the op in Feb we were advised it would be done under local anesthetic too dangerous to do under a general.
We need to make sure there is a care plan in place and that we will be allowed to stay with him at all possible times, otherwise he will become anxious and worried.

 

[Nebiroth]

It's relatively common for hernia repairs to be carried out under a local - which may actually meana spinal block. For one thing, the surgeon is able to ask the patient to cough which is often the tigger for abdominal hernias to pop out.

Surgery is increasingly deploying locals and spinal blocks. They are safer than generals, patients recover faster and can go home sooner and a surgeon often find sit helpful to be able to ask the patient to perform some particular action during the operation.

However, in dementia patients, it does raise th eproblem that the person must be able to co-operate and follow instructions; espescially to remain still.

 

[Grandma Joan]

Thanks Nebiroth
I would like to think the hospital staff will let us stay with him as much as poss but for some reason I forsee yet another battle with the medical staff ahead ...

 

[Grandma Joan]

GP has recommended the op doesn't go ahead. He has checked it and said there are hundreds of people walking around with Hernias and he would leave well alone. He is new to us and said if we had come to him with query hernia he would not have referred us to the hospital. We are happy to take his advice! Relief!

 

[Soobee]

I've had a hernia (near my belly button) for 13 years. I tried to lift a paving slab and it was much heavier than I thought.

I can't have it operated on because I am obese and the operation is unlikely to be successful. It only causes me a problem if I lift too much or carry heavy shopping bags.