abdominal hernias
abdominal hernias
What Is an Abdominal Hernia?
In general, a hernia refers to the protrusion of an organ through a weak area in the muscles or tissue that surround and contain it. Most commonly, the word hernia is used to refer to an abdominal hernia. This type of hernia occurs when an organ or fatty tissue pushes the inner lining of the abdominal wall (the outer layer of muscle, fat and tissue that extends from the bottom of the ribs to the top of the thighs) through a weak area in the abdominal muscles, causing an outpouching of the abdominal wall. This area may have been weak at birth, or it may have been weakened by age, injury or a previous surgical incision. The outpouching, which turns into a noticeable bulge, can contain fat, intestine or other tissue. The bulge can be either reducible, meaning that the fat or tissue can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity and the hernia will flatten and disappear, or nonreducible, which means the fat or tissue cannot be pushed back into the abdomen and the hernia will not flatten. Whether a hernia is reducible depends on how far it protrudes through the abdominal wall and how tightly it is held by the abdominal muscles. If the hernia is nonreducible, it must be repaired surgically, because the outpouching can contain intestine, which can lose its blood supply and die if it becomes tightly trapped (called strangulation). Strangulation of an intestine causes extreme pain, can block digestion and may even cause gangrene in that area of intestine. In this case, emergency surgical repair is required.
Who Is at Risk for an Abdominal Hernia? 
A hernia can literally develop in anyone, from a newborn baby to a senior citizen. The following factors can increase an individual's risk for developing a hernia by straining or increasing pressure on the abdominal wall:
A chronic cough, such as smoker's cough
Obesity
Straining during bowel movements or while urinating
Pregnancy
Straining to lift heavy objects
Persistent sneezing, such as that caused by allergies.Are all abdominal hernias the same?
The following are different types of abdominal hernia:
a/ Inguinal Hernia:
About 2 percent of men in the United States have an inguinal hernia, the most common type of hernia. When a male's testicles descend into the scrotum, this causes a naturally weakened area in the wall of the abdomen, called the internal ring. This weakened area makes men more susceptible to a hernia at this location. An indirect inguinal hernia is the most common type of inguinal hernia. It occurs at the internal ring in the groin area. The intestine drops down into the internal ring and can extend down into the scrotum in men or to the outer folds of the vagina in women.
(for more details will be in next entry)
b/ Epigastric Hernia:
This type of hernia occurs as a result of a weakness in the muscles of the upper-middle abdomen, above the navel. Men are about three times more likely to have an epigastric hernia than women, and the majority occur in people between 20 and 50 years of age. c/ Umbilical Hernia:
Another natural area of weakness in the abdomen is the navel, which, like the internal ring, is made up of tissue that is thinner than that in the rest of the abdomen. These hernias can occur in babies, children and adults. d/ Femoral Hernia:
A femoral hernia occurs in the area between the abdomen and the thigh, and appears as a bulge on the upper thigh. This type of hernia is more common in women than men. e/ Incisional Hernia:
A type of hernia called incisional can occur at the site of an incision from a previous surgery. The fat or tissue pushes through a weakness created by the surgical scar. An incisional hernia can occur months or years after the initial surgery.
How Are Hernias Treated? Treatment options for a hernia include the following:
- Hernia repair surgery
Hernia repair surgery is an effective treatment for hernias. As with almost any surgery, there are some risks involved with a hernia repair operation. These risks, along with the risks of not having surgery, should be discussed with a doctor before a treatment decision is made. Remember that successful surgery will end discomfort, repair the hernia, and stop the hernia from progressing.
- Traditional hernia repair surgery
Traditional hernia repair surgery involves making an incision in the abdominal wall around the hernia, moving the hernia back into the abdomen, and then closing and reinforcing the abdominal wall. This type of hernia repair often does not require an overnight hospital stay.
- Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure for hernia treatment in which a fiber optic viewing tube and special instruments are used to repair the hernia without making a large incision. This procedure requires less recovery time than traditional hernia repair surgery. The possibility and effectiveness of laparoscopic repair should be discussed with a doctor.
- A supportive truss
A garment known as a truss may be helpful if the hernia is reducible and causes mild symptoms. A truss is an elastic band or brief that holds the hernia inside of the abdomen and keeps the area flat. Wearing a supportive truss can help stop a hernia from protruding, but cannot cure it.
- No treatment
A patient always has the option of not undergoing treatment, but he or she should understand that the hernia may become worse and that there is a risk of intestinal strangulation.
What Can Be Done to Prevent a Hernia From Worsening? To help make sure that the hernia does not worsen, the risk factors mentioned earlier should be avoided, since it is likely that one or more of them contributed to the hernia. Lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy objects should be avoided. Quitting smoking is highly recommended. Smoker's cough can contribute to the development or worsening of a hernia. Quitting smoking can also improve blood flow, which speeds the healing process if surgical repair is scheduled. Eating a high-fiber diet, which includes grains, whole-grain bread and cereals, bran, and raw fruits and vegetables, can help relieve constipation, as can drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. If these suggestions do not work, a stool softener or enema can be used as directed by a doctor. If allergies are a problem, a doctor may prescribe medication to treat the sneezing. Deep-breathing techniques can help ease a chronic cough.
source: medem.com,
adam anatomy,
tiscali.co.uk.
Copy form :2608's blog
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