What is a Hernia ? A hernia is a weakness or tear in the wall of the abdomen. The inner lining of the abdomen pushes though the weakened area to form a balloon-like sac. This defect can then cause a portion of your intestine or abdominal tissue to slide into the sac.
What are the symptoms of a hernia? A bulge may be noticed which can vary in size depending on whether lying or standing. It is noticeably more obvious on coughing or straining and may be uncomfortable or painful.
Is there more than one kind of hernia? Most hernias occur in the groin areas due to a natural weakness. The umbilical area is also common and other hernias may occur at the site of previous abdominal surgery or elsewhere.
Why repair a hernia? Most people will have suffered some discomfort. The hernia can enlarge and in a small number of people it can strangulate, causing a major blockage of the intestine. Therefore, we generally advise surgery.
What Conditions may confuse the diagnosis of hernia? Sometimes the hernia can’t be physically demonstrated and an ultrasound may be required to identify the hernia. On some occasions, the injury may be groin strain rather than a suspected hernia, in which case the treatment and recovery is different to hernia repair.
Which method of repair should be used? A groin hernia may be repaired by either open operation or by the laparoscopic method.