Hernias Flashcards
What are the important parts of a lump history?
When was it first noticed
The size of lump and if this has change
Is the lump reducible
Other symptoms such as fevers, night sweats or weight loss
I.e. might indicate TB or cancer
What different factors should you be looking for in a lump assessment?
Site/location
Size (using fruit as reference for size)
Shape = regular or irregular
Surface and skin changes = erythema/swelling/heat
Scars
Colour = can determine vascular status i.e. whether experiencing necrosis
Visible pulse= evidence of aneurysm
What different factors are you looking for when palpation a lump?
- Temperature= determine whether warmer than surroundings i.e. infection
- Tenderness
- Transilluminable= clear fluid enables light to pass through and disperse whereas hard mass or thick fluid would not
Fluctuance
Fixity/tethered= malignant masses invade into underlying structures
LN drainage
Pulsatile
Expansile
Reducible= gently pressing leads to mass returning into cavity of origin
How would you determine whether a lump in invasive or not?
Presence of tethering or fixity indicates that mass has invaded into underlying structures meaning that it is no longer mobile
What characteristic would a lump caused by AAA have?
Pulsatile
Expansile
How can the acronym CAMPFIRE be used to assess features of lumps in a physical examination?
Consistency Attachment Mobility Pulsation Fluctuation Irreducibility Regional lymph node Edge
What is a surgical sieve used for? Using the acronym VITAMIN C, suggests different differentials for a lump.
Approach used to generate different differentials
Vascular= arterial or venous aneurysm
Infective= sebaceous cyst or aneurysm
Traumatic= femoral aneurysm due to angiography
AI
Metabolic= breast lumps or thyroid goitres
Iatrogenic= scar tissue
Neoplastic= skin cancers or lymphomas
Congenital= congenital hernia or undescended testes
What is the definition of a hernia?
Abnormal protrusion of tissue or organ through the wall which normally contains it
What are the different types of external abdominal hernias?
Incisional hernia
-surgical incision causes weakness in muscle wall due to muscle break down post-op= increase risk of herniation
Umbilical hernia
- can occur due to congenital defect
- obesity and ascites cause increased intra-abdominal pressure
Inguinal
-direct or indirect
Femoral
-Bowel enters femoral canal to present as mass in upper medial thigh
What are examples of types of internal hernia?
Hiatus hernia
-stomach passes through oesophageal hiatus
Diaphragmatic hernia
-congenital defect where under-development of diaphragm leads to abdominal contents entering thoracic cavity i.e. leads to poorly developed thoracic organs (small lung on side of underdevelopment)
What structures form the Hesselbachs triangle? What is it’s clinical significance?
Triangle formed from:
- medially= lateral border of rectus abdominis
- superiolaterally= inferior epigastric a and V
- inferiorly= inguinal ligament
Structurally the weakest part of the abdominal wall meaning it is the place inguinal hernias are most likely to protrude through
What is the difference between an indirect and a direct inguinal hernia in terms of location?
Medial to inferior epigastric artery= direct (in Hesselbachs triangle)
Lateral to inferior epigastric artery= indirect
How do indirect and direct hernias differ in terms of which inguinal rings they pass through?
Indirect= passes through deep and superficial
Direct= passes through posterior wall of inguinal canal then through superficial ring
Finish:
What causes the different types of inguinal hernia
Anatomy of deep and superficial ring
Rest of hernia lecture
What causes an indirect inguinal hernia?
Weakness of deep inguinal ring and abdominal muscles
Processus vaginalis remains intact rather than closing like it should. This enables a contents from the peritoneal cavity to herniate through the deep inguinal ring and pass along the inguinal canal