Hernia is generally described as a swelling where abdominal contents protrude out through an abnormal opening. It is commonly seen in the groin area in men and women, explained Dr Thirumurty Satish Kumar, Specialist General Surgeon.
However, it is also very common in women where the hernia occurs through a previous scar (incisional hernia). Hernia occurring in and around the umbilicus (umbilical or paraumbilical hernia) is another commonly seen condition. There are other varieties of hernia that are seen in clinical practice, but they are rare.
Hernia could occur due to many reasons like weakness of the abdominal wall muscles, constant lifting of heavy weights, chronic cough or long standing duration of difficulty in passing urine or stools or a weak post-operative scar. Hernia occurring in children is commonly congenital in origin. The only treatment modality available is surgery.
A truss is something similar to a corset where the patient is asked to wear it to keep the hernia in the reduced state. It is not advisable to wear a truss as it can lead to serious complications. The only indication for usage of a truss is when the patient is extremely old where surgery cannot be done or if the patient is unfit for any kind of anesthesia.
Complications in hernia can make contents become irreducible and later lead to pain and abdominal distension. If left untreated, it can lead to intestinal gangrene which is a dangerous complication. Hernia can be done laproscopically. The hospital stay is minimal and the post-operative pain is very less. If done laparoscopically, in two days time a patient can return home and after a week resume normal work routine. It is better to avoid lifting heavy weights for at least a month after surgery. However, regular day-to-day activity can be done as usual without any compromise.
Hernia can occur in children and if it occurs it should be treated surgically as soon as possible. The immediate post-operative complications are minimal. Commonly, mild pain and mild discomfort is to be expected for the first few days. Recurrence of the hernia after surgery is a rare complication that can occur in exceptional circumstances. Recurrence can be early or late. If it occurs, a re-operation needs to be done.
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