Hernias Flashcards
What is a hernia?
Protrusion of an organ through a defect or opening in the wall of the anatomic cavity which it is normally contained
Hernias can be traumatic/Acquired or congenital where is the defect in those two creating the hernia?
Traumatic/Acquired:
- abdominal
- incisional
- diaphragmatic
-> defect created at origin/insertion of body wall muscles
Congenital:
- umbilical
- inguinal
- scrotal
- femoral
- peritoneal-pericardial diaphragmatic
- hiatal
-> defect in normal anatomic opening of the abdominal wall
What are the 3 parts of a hernia?
- The ring - defect in the wall
- The sac - peritoneum lining the hernia contents
- Contents - organs or tissue that has moved into the hernia ring
What is a true hernia and what is a false hernia?
True hernia: with peritoneal lining
False hernia: no peritoneal lining
Reducible or non-reducible contents - what do both of these mean?
Reducible: abdominal contents can be pushed back into abdominal cavity
Non-reducible:
-> Incarcerated - adhesions have formed which prevents reduction
-> Strangulated - blood supply to a herniated organ is compromised (size of ring plays a role)
What are the signs of an uncomplicated and a complicated hernia?
Uncomplicated hernia:
- Non painful
- Reducible vs. non-reducible
Complicated hernia:
- Congenital: painful
- Traumatic: local tissue swelling and inflammation, may not be evident immediately after trauma (no contents yet)
What are the muscles that “make” the abdominal wall?
External abdominal oblique
Internal abdominal oblique
Transverse abdominal
Rectus abdominis
Which 3 muscles/structures make up the internal inguinal ring?
internal abdominal oblique
inguinal ligament
rectus abdominis
What makes up the external inguinal ring?
The longitudinal slit in aponeurosis of the external abdominal oblique muscle
Which structures go through the inguinal canal?
- Genital branch of genitofemoral a. v. n.
- External pudendal vessel
- Spermatic cord (males)
- Round ligament (females)
When doing surgery have to leave some space open for these structures to come out.
What is a very common congenital hernia?
Umbilical hernia
-> through umbilical ring (umbilical vessels, vitelline duct, stalk of allantois
-> Flaw in embryogenesis - heritable
What are the signs of an umbilical hernia?
- unnoticed
- soft ventral abdominal masses at umbilical scar
- ring may close as late as 6 months
- rarely intestine may herniate (size dependant)
What are the key points for a surgical repair of an umbilical hernia?
- Incision avoiding hernia contents
- amputate hernia sac (peritoneal lining)
- reduce contents
- do at the same time as spay/castrate
- close external rectus sheath
What is the differentiation between a direct and an indirect scrotal/inguinal hernia?
Indirect (scrotal) -> content comes out of inguinal canal and down the vaginal process into the scrotal sac
Direct (inguinal) -> comes outside of that inguinal ring and sits directly underneath the skin (doesn’t go down vaginal process)
Where should the incision be made if we are performing surgery on an inguinal hernia? which suture material and suture pattern should be used to close?
Midline incision - next to hernia (not straight over hernia!)
best to use non-absorbable suture such as prolene, horizontal mattress suture for tension relief! remember to leave enough room for artery and vein when making inguinal ring smaller.
Is a scrotal hernia a direct or indirect inguinal hernia?
Indirect inguinal hernia