What is a Hernia? What are the Types?

What is a Hernia? What are the Types?

What is a hernia?

Hernias occur when an organ or tissue is displaced, often in the anterior abdominal wall, through a weak spot in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue. Sometimes hernias are visible as a protrusion, especially when straining or coughing. Pain in the herniated area is also the most common complaint.

Types of Hernia

The most common types of hernia are:

Groin Occurs on the inside of the groin.

Femoral: Occurs in the upper thigh/outer part of the groin.

Incisional Occurs after a previous abdominal surgery.

Umbilical: Occurs at the belly button.

Epigastric Occurs between the navel and the rib cage.

Hernia Causes

Hernias are caused by a combination of increased intra-abdominal pressure and weakness of muscle or connective tissue. Anything that causes an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (obesity, heavy lifting, constipation, constant coughing or sneezing…) can cause a hernia. Weakening of muscle and connective tissue can develop for many reasons, such as age, malnutrition, smoking and excessive or unconscious exercise.

Hernia Treatment Options

Surgery is the only option in hernia treatment. However, in a limited group, it may be considered not to treat the hernia. Hernia will impair the quality of life of a young, active person and cause limitations in physical activity. It may also require emergency surgery due to intestinal obstruction or impaired blood circulation of the compressed organs.

In the vast majority of hernias, planned (non-emergency) surgical treatment is performed.

Surgical Options

Hernia surgeries are the most frequently performed procedures among general surgeries all over the world.  More than one million hernia repairs are performed in the US each year.

Laparoscopic or Robotic Repair

The surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen that allow surgical instruments to enter to repair the hernia, and the repair is performed through these holes. Laparoscopic surgery is becoming more and more common for many diseases for good reasons. However, the situation is slightly different for abdominal wall hernias. Laparoscopic hernia surgeries take longer, cost more and require general anesthesia more often than open repairs. When the rates of recurrence of hernia after surgery are compared, no superiority over open repairs has been shown.

Open Repairs

The surgeon makes a small incision near the hernia, removes the herniated organs to the anatomical area where they should be and repairs the weak muscle area above it that caused the hernia. This is done under epidural or local anesthesia. Open repair can be done with or without a surgical mesh. Repair without mesh is used to repair strangulated or infected hernias in infants, small hernias, some athletes’ hernias, and strangulated or infected hernias.

A surgical mesh is a medical foreign body used to provide support to weakened or damaged tissue. However, the use of a mesh does not have a negative medical or quality of life impact on the patient.

After Surgery

Of course, as with all surgical procedures, complications can develop in hernia operations. However, this rate is extremely low. Regardless of which surgery is preferred, it is recommended to avoid physical activities that strain the abdominal muscles for a few weeks after surgery. During this period, there is no harm for the patient to continue his/her daily activities.

GROIN HERNIAS