German COVID-19 Restrictions

[Jack2021]

Hi Scarletville,

I’ve recently joined the forum and not had a chance to search through it fully yet, but like you, I’m UK based and hoping to find a top surgeon who’s experienced in performing non-mesh repairs, in my case, for an inguinal hernia.

Like you, I’ve found details of surgeons in Germany – Dr Ralph Lorenz, Dr Ukrike Muschaweck (who’s operated on many top Premier League footballers), Dr Joachim Conze (who took over from Dr Muschaweck at the Hernia Centre, Munich), Dr Andreas Koch and Dr. Martin Wiese (through Biohernia). Dr Muschaweck ran a UK clinic every month before the pandemic, but isn’t at the moment unfortunately. Her costs seem to be around two and a half to three times more than the others. I know that some of them offer a tailored approach and choose the type of repair during the operation, which I can see the benefits of doing, but I’d like to know for sure that I’d be receiving a tissue repair, rather than find out afterwards that they’d decided to use mesh.

With the pandemic and associated travel issues, plus concerns about follow up appointments, I’m hoping to find a consultant in the UK, though it seems there aren’t many who offer tissue repairs for people over 30, as I’ve only found four so far, despite fairly extensive research. I’ve found some very high profile consultants who’ve operated on numerous elite athletes across a range of sports, but they all seem to use mesh for hernia surgeries.

Of the four I’ve found, from my understanding:
– Simon Bailly apparently practices the Shouldice technique, though I’ve been unable to find out whether he follows the exact same method/a variation, or any information on recurrence rates. I’m going to try and contact him for more information.

– Professor Ernest Schilders, apparently offers a laparoscopic tissue repair. I’ve not come across any research on this technique, so haven’t looked into it further.

– The other two consultants offer Desarda repairs, though both have only done about 10 Desarda procedures each (no recurrences that they’re aware of) and tend to do mesh repairs usually. One of them advocated mesh repairs when I contacted him, though the other said he felt that the Desarda repair was a good equivalent and I felt that he came across very well, so I’m hoping to get a referral to meet him, as he only works through the NHS currently.

I’m guessing with you booking to go to Germany, you weren’t able to find anyone in the UK, or was it more that you weren’t able to find any advocates for non-mesh repairs in the UK who have the experience you’re looking for in performing tissue based repairs?

I’d be grateful for any further information that you or any other members might be able to share about UK consultants offering non-mesh repairs. I’m also very keen to know more about the Desarda technique and how effective it is. I’ve read a number of studies and meta-studies, mainly from Africa/Asia, which appear to evidence excellent outcomes.

Obviously there are numerous studies which advocate mesh repairs, so I’m finding it tricky to evaluate everything I’ve read. Having said that, I’m very clear that I’d prefer to have a non-mesh repair and I want to be confident that the surgeon I choose has an excellent record of successful long-term outcomes.

I may try and post a new thread as well, just in case other people miss this.

Many thanks in advance for any information you or any other members can provide.

Jack

[Mark]

I did wonder if this would affect you when I heard this on the news. I’m sorry to see that it has. I can’t really see it being a big issue here in England so it will hopefully just be a temporary setback.
Stay positive!

[pinto]

I’m sorry to hear about your setback. There’s a glimmer of hope though from this in Wikipedia concerning EU citizenship if accurate: “a provisional agreement [between the UK and EU] outlines the right of British citizens to remain in the EU (and vice versa) where they are resident in the Union on the day of the UK’s withdrawal.” You possibly might be able to retain EU citizenship.

[Scarletville]

It’s a weird situation, honestly I believe it’s Brexit revenge. I’m fully vaccinated, it’s been proven the vaccinations work on the Indian variant, the UK vaccination rate is much higher than that of Germany and the EU and the Indian variant is present in EU countries and other countries not on their restricted list. I was very surprised by this turn of events as it just doesn’t make sense especially for someone fully vaccinated and travelling for a medical procedure (German requirements on those medical procedures being extremely strict).