The Hernia Clinic provides a consultant-delivered, assessment of the patients signs and symptoms. An initial consultation with Mr Coombs will involve talking about how the hernia developed, its impact on quality of life as well as discussing how the recovery of the patient may affect their work or home situation. Part of the medical consultation involves asking about other medical problems and inquiring about previous surgical procedures.
There will be a thorough examination of the abdomen, including the hips and groin areas. For men this will also include an examination of the scrotum. A chaperone will offered and will always be available during the examination if required.
For some patients additional information might be needed and radiology tests might be requested. These could involve an ultrasound scan, CT or MRI scan depending on the problem. Often the ultrasound scans be performed at the time of the initial consultation by a consultant radiologist with a specialist interest in musculo-skeletal problems.
Some scans may incur an additional fee so for insured patients it is advisable to check with the insurer before undergoing additional tests.