What is a hernia? Does it require surgery?

What is hernia? Generally speaking, hernia is a surgical disease, which means that there is a hole in the abdominal wall, and the intestines and omentum in the abdominal cavity come out of the hole to form a mass. When the patient lies flat, the pressure in the abdominal cavity will decrease, which causes the mass to become smaller or disappear. However, when standing, coughing or defecating, the abdominal cavity pressure will increase, causing the mass to bulge or increase, thus forming a "hernia".

So what are the types of hernias? Hernias usually occur between the groins on both sides, that is, near the thigh root. This is an inguinal hernia. Generally, an inguinal hernia will cause a feeling of heaviness and distension, which will cause discomfort, leading to incarceration and intestinal obstruction. In severe cases, it will cause small intestinal blood loss and perforation, which can lead to life-threatening conditions. Therefore, once symptoms that cannot be cured by themselves appear, surgical treatment must be performed.

The principle of hernia repair is actually like mending clothes. As long as the hole formed by the hernia is blocked, the intestine and omentum can be prevented from "leaking". This method not only saves labor and effort, but also saves materials. The disadvantage is that it will break if pulled. In addition, you can also use the method of fine repair, which is to use similar biological materials in the human body to repair the hole tightly, so that the repaired area is more solid. This method is more complicated than the simple repair method.

Many patients do not seek medical attention after discovering a hernia, such as an inguinal hernia, because they do not experience any obvious discomfort. This causes many patients to not seek medical attention in a timely manner, which leads to the hernia becoming more and more serious. As the hernia gradually worsens, patients will begin to experience more obvious symptoms, such as persistent pain, increased abdominal discomfort, and in some cases, they may even feel a lump in their abdomen. The appearance of these symptoms often indicates that the hernia has developed to a more serious stage, at which point the patient often has to seek medical help.

What to do if you have hernia pain? So far, surgery is the only way to cure hernia. Many patients do not experience pain after suffering from hernia. Some patients even just have a small bag in the groin area, which disappears with a light press. This also leads to many patients not feeling the presence of hernia when lying in bed. However, as time goes by, the bag will grow larger, which will increase the chances of intestinal tract involvement, and even cause some people to experience pain or a feeling of heaviness when they are active or coughing. In severe cases, it can even affect the patient's daily life.

Hernias are classified according to the different parts of the body where they occur. Usually, hernias can be divided into indirect hernias and direct hernias. Indirect hernias mainly protrude from the body surface through the external opening of the inguinal canal and can enter the scrotum. Indirect hernias are usually oval or pear-shaped, with a pedicle-shaped upper part. Indirect hernias usually occur in children, young adults, young people and the elderly. Direct hernias protrude from the body surface through the direct hernia triangle (also known as the Hei's triangle) and do not enter the scrotum. Direct hernias are more round and hemispherical in shape, with a wider base. Direct hernias often occur in the elderly, especially those with weak abdominal walls who are at higher risk.

Another relatively rare type of hernia is a femoral hernia, which occurs in the femoral canal area below the inguinal ligament. This hernia usually protrudes in the groin, especially in women. Because the hernial opening of a femoral hernia is relatively narrow, the hernial contents can easily become incarcerated, forming an incarcerated hernia, which is an emergency condition that requires prompt surgical treatment.

In addition, the hernia contents may protrude into the hernial sac when the patient is standing upright or in physical activity, but when the patient lies flat, these hernial contents usually retract on their own and disappear from the body surface. Another situation is that the hernial contents are adhered to the hernial sac wall. In this case, even when lying flat or with the assistance of manual pushing, the hernial contents may not be completely retracted to their original position.

The occurrence of hernias is often caused by thinning of the abdominal wall or increased abdominal pressure, which will promote the further development of hernias. In men, the spermatic cord is connected to the testicles. This physiological structure causes the abdominal wall to form a special inguinal canal in the groin area, which increases the risk of hernia. In women, the presence of the round ligament of the uterus may also induce the occurrence of hernias when the abdominal wall of infants is not fully developed and they cry or make a fuss, which increases abdominal pressure. As for the elderly, their abdominal wall muscles gradually become thinner, which makes it easier for the intestines in the abdominal cavity to fall.

Therefore, if you notice signs of a hernia, especially a reducible mass in the groin area, you should see your doctor as soon as possible for a detailed examination. Your doctor will usually recommend an ultrasound or CT scan to determine the size and location of the hernia and whether any intestine or other tissue has been herniated. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor will develop a treatment plan based on your specific situation. For most patients, surgery is the recommended option, especially if the hernia has caused significant symptoms or there is a risk of complications.

Surgical treatment of hernia mainly includes two categories: traditional surgery and minimally invasive surgery. Traditional surgery, also known as open surgery, involves a relatively large incision in the groin area, aimed at repositioning the hernia contents and reinforcing their position through delicate suturing techniques. During this process, the doctor can directly manipulate and suture the tissues around the hernia ring. However, a significant disadvantage of this surgical method is that it produces high tension, which may lead to more intense postoperative pain and a relatively slow recovery process. The most common hernia surgery is hernia repair surgery, which is suitable for hernias in the groin area. During the operation, the doctor will implant a special mesh on the abdominal wall to enhance the quality of the repair. Generally, this mesh is usually made of biomaterials or synthetic materials, which can provide additional support and support for surgical repair, thereby preventing the occurrence of hernia.

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique, which generally involves making a small incision in the patient's abdomen, and then inserting a laparoscope into the patient's abdomen through this small incision to perform the operation. This method can reduce the occurrence of trauma and can reduce a certain amount of recovery time, so this method is a very common surgical method in hernia repair. In addition, surgery can also be performed under radiation guidance. This surgical method is generally used for complex hernias. During the treatment of these hernias, doctors can use radiation guidance to treat the surgical situation. This X-ray or surgically guided treatment method will make the surgical operation more precise.

In life, we also need to strengthen the prevention and protection of hernia. Specifically, for ordinary elderly male patients, special attention should be paid to strengthening the training of abdominal muscles; for people with weaker abdominal walls, they need to pay attention to dietary adjustments in daily life to ensure that the patients have a balanced nutrition. For patients who smoke for a long time, have repeated asthma attacks or suffer from lung diseases, these special groups need to strengthen their self-vigilance to prevent the abdominal cavity from being under excessive pressure. For patients who have symptoms of uremia or ascites due to liver disease, since abnormal liver function may induce hernia, it is particularly important for these people with underlying diseases to receive timely and effective treatment.

Disclaimer: The pictures in this article are from the Internet