Hernias - Surgery Flashcards
What is a hernia?
Protrusion of a viscus or part of a viscus through the wall of its containing cavity into an abnormal position.
What is a reducible hernia?
Sac can return to the abdominal cavity either spontaneously or with manipulation
What is a irreducible hernia?
Sac cannot be reduced despite pressure or manipulation
Strangulated hernia?
Blood supply of contents is compromised due to pressure at the neck of the hernia
Risks ar 3% and more common in indirect hernias.
Sliding hernia?
Part of sac is formed by bowel (caecum or sigmoid) Take care when excising the sac.
What is Maydl’s hernia?
Herniating double loop of bowel. Strangulated portion may reside as a single loop inside the abdomen
What is Littre’s hernia?
Hernial sac containing strangulated Meckel’s diverticulum
What is Amyand’s hernia?
Inguinal hernia containing strangulated appendix
What is Richter’s hernia?
Only part of circumference of bowel is within the sac.
Most commonly seen with femoral hernia
Can strangulate without obstructing.
What is a pantaloon hernia?
Direct + indirect hernia
Herniotomy?
Excision of hernial sac
Heniorrhaphy?
Suture repair of hernial defect
Hernioplasty?
Mesh repair of hernial defect
What is the epidemiology of an inguinal hernia?
- 3% of adults will require hernioplasty
- 4% of male neonates have hernia (higher in prems)
- M»F (:1 (descent of testes
- Majority present in 50s
Pathology of inguinal hernia?
Commoner in R (damage to ilioinguinal N @ appendicectomy –> muscle weakness).
5% bilateral
8-15% present as emergency with strangulation/obstruction.
Aetiology of inguinal hernia?
Congenital: patent processus vaginalis. This requires immediate repair.
- Processus vaginalis should obliterate following descent of testes
- If it stays patent it may fill with
Fluid – hydrocele
- Bowel/omentum –> Indirect hernia
Acquired inguinal hernia?
Mainly things with increased the intra-abdominal pressure
- Chronic cough: COPD, asthma
- Prostatism
- Constipation
- Severe muscular effort: heavy lifting
- Previous incision/repair
- Ascites/obesity
- Appendicectomy
Classification of inguinal hernias?
Indirect or direct
What is an indirect hernia?
- 80%: commoner in young
- Congenital patent processus vaginalis
- Emerge through the deep ring
- Same 3 coverings as cord and descend into the scrotum
Can strangulate.
What is an direct hernia?
20%: common in elderly
Acquired
- Emerge through Hesselbach’s triangle (passes medial to the inferior epigastric artery). Rectus abdominis is medial. Inguinal ligament inferior. INferior epigastric vessels.
- Can acquire internal and external spermatic fascia
Rarely descend into scrotum
Rarely strangulate
What are the clinical features in children of an inguinal hernia?
- Lump in groin which may descend into scrotum
- Exacerbated by crying
- Commonly obstruct
Clinical features in adults of an inguinal hernia
- Lump in groin, exacerbated by straining/cough.
- May be clear ppting event: e.g heavy lifting
- Dragging pain radiating to groin.
May present with obstruction/strangulation.
Difference between direct and indirect inguinal hernia?
Direct
- Protrudes through Hesselbach triangle - medial to the inferior epigastric artery.
- Weakness in transversalis fascia area of the HEsselbach triangle
- Low risk of strangulation
- Seen in adults
- Much more in males.
Indirect
- Protrudes through the inguinal ring
- Passess lateral to the inferior epigastric artery
Failure of the processus vaginalis to close.
Low risk of strangulation