Hiatal Hernia Surgery Article

Hernia Overview

A hernia happens when a body cavity's contents bulge out into an area where they are usually not supposed to be. These contents are most often parts of the intestine or some of the abdominal fatty tissue. Although hernias can be found in other places, they are most often found in the lower torso or hernias of the abdominal wall. By themselves, hernias are usually harmless. However, almost all of them have the risk of becoming strangulated, that is, having their blood supply and nutrients cut off. If this happens, then surgery becomes a medical necessity. Some of the different types of abdominal wall hernias are as follows:

Inguinal hernia: This type of hernia makes up about 75% of all abdominal wall hernias and occurs about twenty-five times more often in a man than in a woman. The inguinal hernia is further divided into two types, the direct and the indirect. Both of these occur in the same area but they have a little different origin. Both the direct and indirect types of hernias can appear as bulges in the inguinal crease. Both of these types of hernias are treated in the same way. Indirect inguinal hernia: This type of hernia follows a pathway that the testicles made during the period of prebirth development. It goes down into the scrotum from the abdomen. Before birth, this pathway usually closes. However, it remains a possible place for the development of a hernia. At times, the hernial sac may be known to protrude into the scrotum. Although this type of hernia can occur at any age, it most often happens as men age. Direct inguinal hernia: This type of hernia is much like that of the inguinal hernia except that it occurs slightly to the inside. It occurs where the abdonimal wall is slightly thinner. This type of hernia rarely protrudes into the scrotum. It almost always happens in middle-aged and elderly men as their abdominal walls weaken with age. Femoral hernia: The femoral canal is where the blood vessels and nerves exit the abdominal cavity and enter the thigh. Although this is normally a tight space, it sometimes can become large enough to allow the abdominal contents to spill into the femoral canal. These types of hernias are usually rare and occur mainly in women. They do, however, have the risk of becoming strangulated. Umbilical hernia: These hernias are common and are often found at birth as a protrusion at the bellybutton or the umbilicus. The cause of this is when the opening in the abdomianl wall does not close completely at birth. If it is small, that is, less than an inch, it will usually close on it own by the time the child is two years of age. Larger umbilical hernias and ones that do not close by themselves will usually require surgery when the child is between two to four years of age. Spigelian hernia: This is a rare type of hernia and it occurs along the side of the middle of the abdomen. Obturtator hernia: This is a very rare type of hernia that occurs mainly in women. This hernia sticks out from the pelvic cavity through the opening in the pelvic bone known as the obturator foramen. This can act like an obstructed bowel and can produce nausea and vomiting. Epigastric hernia: These hernias occur mainly betwen the umbilicus and lower part of the rib cage. These hernias are made up mainly of fatty tissue and very rarely contain intestine. These hernias are very often painless, but they are unable to be pushed back into the abdomen when they are first discovered.