There are countless medical problems that might require surgical repair and one of the most common examples is a hernia. For those who might not know, a hernia is a problem that usually impacts the groin or abdomen. In this case, tissue, such as the intestines, will protrude through a muscular wall that usually encloses it. Typically, the abdominal muscles end up tearing as the hernia protrudes. Hernias are defined in multiple ways and one example is their location. There are a number of places where a hernia might appear; however, the vast majority of them will eventually require surgery. Usually, this requires surgical repair with hernia mesh; however, numerous hernia mesh lawsuit cases have been filed because some hernia mesh is defective, leading to hernia mesh recall examples. Therefore, everyone with a hernia should meet with a trained doctor to learn more about their repair options.
The vast majority of hernias take place in the groin. There are two types of groin hernias. The first is called an inguinal hernia, which makes up nearly all groin hernias. This takes place when the intestines press through the belly and into the groin. In this case, the intestines enter an area called the inguinal canal. An indirect inguinal hernia enters the canal directly whereas a direct inguinal hernia enters the area next to the canal. This is common in men but it can occur in women as well. This hernia develops in people of all ages.
The other type of hernia is called a femoral hernia. This only makes up a few percent of groin hernias and they are more common in older women. In this case, the hernia enters the femoral canal. Both inguinal and femoral hernias create a bulge that is present in the groin or hip region. While it is important to seek medical care immediately, not all hernias have to be repaired immediately.
Another type of hernia is called an umbilical hernia. While adults can get umbilical hernias, they are far more common in newborns. While a large percentage of newborns will have this type of hernia, they are more common in babies who are born early. The good news is that the vast majority of umbilical hernias will close on their own. Typically, these are only repaired surgically if they persist longer than a year.
Finally, some people might have a hernia called an incisional hernia. This hernia develops when people have had surgery performed. In this case, the hernia protrudes through the scar that develops over the surgical incision. Surgery is controlled trauma and a surgical incision will weaken the abdominal wall. Similar to other hernias, most incisional hernias are repaired surgically. While they can be hard to treat, most doctors and surgeons have an array of tools at their disposal that can make this closure more effective.