What is an inguinal hernia?
Inguinal hernia is a pathological situation consisting in the exit of intra-abdominal visceral contents through the inguinal or femoral canal.
Why does inguinal hernia occur? What type of “material” appears in a hernia?
It occurs due to the persistence or repermeabilization of the inguinal canal, which under normal conditions is obliterated.
The content can be any intra-abdominal viscera, although it is usually an intestinal loop.
Are there routines or factors conducive to the development of an inguinal hernia?
The established risk factors for the appearance of an inguinal hernia are:
- Hereditary pathological factors.
- Gender: much more frequent in the male sex
- Age
- Obesity
- Etc
In any case, any factor that chronically increases intra-abdominal pressure can favor the appearance of an inguinal hernia.
How does an inguinal hernia affect the patient’s daily life?
In most cases it is usually asymptomatic, except for the appearance of a lump in the inguinal region. In other cases there is pain that can be moderate or so intense that it affects the patient’s quality of life.
In the case of incarceration of an intestinal loop within the hernia, the hernia is considered to be complicated and requires urgent treatment.
How should an inguinal hernia be treated and is there a possibility of recurrence?
The only definitive treatment currently available is surgical treatment.
The standard technique consists of repairing the hernia with the placement of a reinforcement mesh. This technique can be performed under regional or general anesthesia and requires a maximum hospital stay of 24 hours, although it can also be done on an outpatient basis.
Results and “back to routine” after an inguinal hernia
According to published studies, recurrence (the appearance of a new hernia) is less than 5%. Although it is true that there are factors that increase this percentage, such as:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Pulmonary disease
- Immediate pregnancy after repair
- Postoperative infection
The vast majority of patients can lead a normal life 48 hours postoperatively. Although specialists in General Surgery who treat inguinal hernias recommend not to perform abrupt exercise during the first month as it is the minimum healing time.