Groin hernias, or Inguinal hernias are 75% of all of the different types of abdominal hernias. The occurance is in men is 25 times more than in women. These hernias have two distinct groups: indirect inguinal hernias, and direct inguinal hernias. Here we will discuss the direct inguinal hernia.
Being well informed allows you to make a decision on which option you want to use for treatment of your hernia. Delays are possible if it is something your surgeon decides is right for you.
Direct inguinal hernias usually occur where the walls of the abdomen are naturally thinner in the lower part of the abdomen. It rarely protrudes down into the scrotal sack, but it can happen. These are more common in the elderly or middle-aged adults. With age, the abdominal wall weakens thus increasing the chances of getting a hernia.
Direct inguinal hernias happen when fat, part of the bladder, or an intestinal loop bulge through the weak point of the wall of the abdomen and into the inguinal canal.
Direct Inguinal Hernia symptoms
-initially it may be just a feeling of heaviness or pressure in the groin.
-symptoms appear during activities like coughing, straining, lifting, or standing on your feet for long periods at a time.
- when the hernia gets larger, you will feel a bulge in your groin or under your skin.
-you can feel severe pain if the blood supply is cut off or a piece of the intestine gets trapped in the hernia.
Direct Inguinal Hernia Diagnosis
The diagnosis can be made by your physician usually through an interview and simple exam of the area. Sometimes an ultrasound is necessary to correctly diagnose the problem. Sometimes your doctor can not tell the difference whether it is an indirect or direct hernia until the surgery is being performed. The treatment for both types are fairl similar so the distinction beforehand is not absolutely necessary.
Direct inguinal Hernia Treatment
Inguinal hernias are not able to heal themselves. There is no medicine that will provide a cure either. Now the only possible way to repairing them is surgical intervention. Though it may not be vital to have surgery right away, it depends on the severity of pain and the size of the hernia. If your already having pain, it is likely the hernia may grow larger and give you more extreme pain over time. If there are health issues due to age or other health issues, the physician may choose to treat the patient with a truss that will have to be used on a permanent basis to keep the hernia from becoming larger.
Two Categories of Surgical Options
The most common repair choice is open surgery, this is done under local or general anesthesia. The incision is made in the area of the groin, the surgeon then pushes the organ back in place and then the repair is made in the abdominal wall by the use of stitches. A mesh may be placed over the site to provide a safeguard and warn against recurrence of the hernia.
There is also a choice of laparoscopic surgery where three small incisions are made in the lower abdomen, the abdomen then is inflated. Using tools and the laparoscope the surgeon then does the repair. Hernia surgerys are very successful and one of the most common surgical procedures done in America. Recovery can be less than two weeks, but the patient should still avoid and heavy lifting for at least six to ight weeks after the surgery is completed.
