An abdominal hernia or abdominal wall hernia is an abnormality of this anatomical structure that consists of an opening or defect through which part of the contents of the abdomen protrudes to the outside.
There are different types of abdominal hernias of which the most frequent are umbilical hernias (navel hernias) and epigastric hernias (midline hernias). Those affecting the inguinal region (inguinal hernias, the most frequent of all), although they are not strictly abdominal, when they occur they can cause the exit of intra-abdominal contents through them. Another type of hernias are incisional hernias (eventrations) that occur after surgical incisions of the abdominal wall.
Abdominal hernias are common and not necessarily dangerous.
They usually do not produce discomfort and if they do they are generally mild. Most of the affected people usually only observe the presence of a lump in the area where it is located. Sometimes, hernias appear only on exertion and can usually be reintroduced, i.e., reduced by the patient himself or by his physician.
Occasionally, an intestinal loop or a fragment of fat can become trapped in the hernia, a condition called incarceration or incarceration. An incarcerated or incarcerated hernia is usually more painful and the bulge cannot be reduced, causing blockage or obstruction of the bowel.
Rarely, the hernia squeezes the intestine so tightly that it interrupts the blood supply, which is called strangulation. It causes constant pain that increases gradually, typically with nausea and vomiting, cannot be reduced and is painful to the touch. This is a serious situation that can cause necrosis of an intestinal loop and generally requires emergency surgery. Hernias, especially umbilical hernias in adults, cause aesthetic problems and can be repaired at the moment the person considers it convenient (this is called elective surgery).
Almost 10% of the population suffers from some type of hernia during their lifetime.
The diagnosis of this pathology is purely clinical, that is, it is made by your doctor, although sometimes an ultrasound or a computed tomography (CT) scan will be requested to help determine the diagnosis.
Treatment of abdominal wall hernias is primarily surgical when they are diagnosed. Holding the hernia in by taping, bandaging or other means sometimes helps the person feel more comfortable, but even bandaging does not reduce the risk of strangulation, so these treatments are not usually recommended. If the hernia is incarcerated or strangulated, surgery is performed immediately. Otherwise, surgery is elective.
Surgical repair aims to close or cover the opening so that the abdominal contents remain in place.
Synthetic meshes are currently used to cover hernia defects, which has improved recurrence rates of this pathology considerably by avoiding the tissue tension repairs that were previously performed and which were a major cause of reproduction (hernia recurrence). The surgical treatment route can be open or laparoscopic, being the surgeon the one who will indicate one or the other according to the best convenience.
Whatever the surgical treatment route, the postoperative period is comfortable and allows patients, in most cases, a rapid recovery to their daily routine, including work.