6.2- Abdominal Wall and Hernias Flashcards
What is the importance of everything below the arcuate line?
there is no posterior rectus sheath below arcuate line ie less layer at the bottom
Define hernia
An abnormal protrusion of a cavity’s contents through a weakness in the wall of the cavity,
What are the 4 common abdominal hernias?
- Epigastric in the midline; Linea alba or Linea Semilunaris
- Umbilicus; only in babies
- Inguinal
- Femoral
What is a hiatus hernia?
- hernia through diaphragm
- can be:
- Sliding; shortens
- Rolling; bit of stomach comes through
Which hernias are found in the groin?
-INGUINAL
- Direct; through hasselbach’s triangle
- Indirect; through deep inguinal ring
-FEMORAL
What are the 7 types of VENTRAL hernias? (PESIPUP)
- Para-umbilical
- Epigastric
- Spighelian
- Incisional
- Para-stomal
- Umbilical
- Port Site
What is the most common type of hernia and why?
- Inguinal
- more common in males bc the testicular apparatus is much more fragile than the round ligament of the uterus
What are some general causes of herniae?
- Basic design weakness
- Weakness due to structures leaving/ entering the abdomen
- Developmental failures
- Collagen disease; hereditary hernias
How can hernias develop from processus vaginalis?
- causes congenital indirect inguinal hernias if it does not close
- outpouching of peritoneal membrane that leads descent of testes and gubernaculum into scrotal sac
WHEN can you get direct hernias?
- from muscle damage
- because muscles weaken with age; degenerative weakness of muscles and fibrous tissue
- abdominal wall gives way and a bulge occurs
How can you get a hernia from pregnancy?
- uterus enlarges and puts pressure on pubic veins; causing varicosities
- if pressure increases you can get an INGUINAL hernia
- if abdominal wall gets stretched you can get an UMBILICAL hernia
from pregancy hormones, you can also get a subluxation of jointsto make ligaments slack for childbirth
What are the two main landmarks in inguinal anatomy?
- Mid-point of inguinal ligament: halfway between the ASIS and the pubic tubercle
opening to inguinal canal is just above this point
- Mid-inguinal point: haflway between ASIS and pubic symphysis
you can locate the femoral artery here ie the femoral pulse here
What is the weak area? (MPO)
Myo-Pectineal Orifice
- down the groin
- leads to indirect and direct inguinal hernias
How can you get hernias at hasselbach’s triangle
because there is a space between the rectus abdominis and the inguinal ligament and the inferior arteries
hernia enlarges untill it gives way
Define the cause of indirect inguinal hernias
- occur at deep inguinal ring
- usually congenital weakness
Define the cause of direct inguinal hernias
- occur within the ‘weak area’ ie Myopectineal orifice within Hesselbach’s triangle
- usually acquired muscle weakness
- happens in old people
Where are femoral hernias commonly seen?
- common in females but
- not as common inguinal hernias
- more likely to strangulate because of the inflexible lacunar ligament
-
ALWAYS refer for surgery/ repair
*
How do femoral hernias form?
- very rigid borders of femoral canal esp lacunar ligament
- found infero-lateral to pubic tubercle
- median to femoral pulse
How do you distinguish between inguinal and femoral hernias?
- examine the landmar of each to decide because incisions are different
- if it is a femoral hernia then you HAVE to send the patient for surgery