Hernias Flashcards
What is an umbilical hernia?
An umbilical hernia is a defect of the anterior abdominal wall fascia that occurs when the umbilical ring fails to close. The defect allows protrusion of a peritoneal sac that is covered by skin and may contain intra-abdominal contents, such as omentum or bowel.
What is an inguinal hernia?
An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of abdominal or pelvic contents through a dilated internal inguinal ring (indirect) or attenuated inguinal floor (direct) into the inguinal canal and out of the external inguinal ring, causing a visible or easily palpable bulge.
What is a femoral hernia?
A femoral hernia usually occurs when fatty tissue or a part of your bowel pokes through into your groin at the top of your inner thigh. It pushes through a weak spot in the surrounding muscle wall (abdominal wall) into an area called the femoral canal.
What is a hernia?
A protrusion of a viscus through an abnormal opening
What are the signs and symptoms of a hernia?
> bulge/ mass > Discomfort > Pain > Symptoms of bowel obstruction > Skin changes
What are the risk factors of an inguinal hernia?
> Male > Old > Smoking > AAA > Incision > Marfans/ Ehlers Danlos > Lathyrism
What are the risk factors of an umbilical hernia?
> Low birthweight
> African ancestry
What is the epidemiology of hernias?
Inguinal- 0.14% of the population, 92% of whom were male
Umbilical- More common in kids, even in boys and girls
What is the management of a hernia?
> Hernia repair surgery (may need reduction first)
Prophylactic antibiotic therapy
Watchful waiting
What investigations would you do for a hernia?
Clinical diagnosis
What are the complications for a hernia?
Post operative wound infection/ haemorrhage Recurrence of hernia Strangulation Rupture Peritonitis
What is the prognosis of a hernia?
Relatively good prognosis
