Inguinal Hernia Surgery
Inguinal hernia is a disorder that can be seen at any age. It is much more common in men than in women. One of the biggest reasons is the gap that occurs in the inguinal region during the development of the male genital organs. Inguinal hernia can be small in size, as well as large and risky.
What is Inguinal Hernia?
It is diagnosed as the protrusion of one of the internal organs under the abdomen or a part of the intestines from the peritoneum in the inguinal region, and seen under the skin. Inguinal hernia is one of the most common disorders. It is known that men are anatomically more prone to inguinal hernia than women. This rate rises from 3 times to 10 times. In people with inguinal hernia, the feeling is maximized when intra-abdominal pressure increases such as straining, sneezing and coughing.
With the increase in the pressure in the abdomen, the inguinal hernia may become visible from the outside. The fact that the inguinal hernia is not visible from the outside while at rest does not mean that the problem has been resolved. If inguinal hernia is not treated, it will continue to swell in the future. As a result, the limitation of movement comes to very high levels. There may be a feeling of high aches and pains. There are different types of inguinal hernia. These are direct hernia, indirect hernia, obturator hernia and femoral hernia.
Inguinal Hernia Symptoms
Inguinal hernia is mostly detected by the person himself. Abdominal swelling is the clearest symptom. Along with swelling, conditions such as pain and burning are also among the symptoms. The person may experience movement restriction both in his daily life and while exercising. From time to time, sudden pressure increases can cause cramps. With the decrease in the pressure in the abdomen, the hernia may become invisible. Some people expect their hernias to heal on their own, which become invisible over time and its pain subsides. However, inguinal hernia is not a problem that heals by resting on its own. A specialist physician should examine and treat the hernia.
Untreated inguinal hernias can bring other diseases along with them. Intestines play the biggest role in the formation of inguinal hernia. Intestines can turn weak areas in the abdominal wall into pouches. In such cases, when the intra-abdominal pressure increases, the hernia becomes more obvious. The hernia, which is visible when the intestine is in this pouch, becomes invisible when the intestine moves back from the pouch. However, this does not mean that the hernia has healed. Such an appearance is called a strangulated hernia.
With the progression of the hernia, serious digestive problems and movement restrictions can be seen. Nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, fever and high gas are among the most common symptoms. Redness, bruising and swelling may gradually increase in the area where the hernia occurred. These are beginning of an emergency. Urgent hernia surgery may be required. The congested state of the intestinal part that creates the hernia should be eliminated and trouble-free blood circulation should be allocated. In cases where the hernia is not treated, the intestine and peritoneum are damaged.
Treatment Methods in Inguinal Hernia
Inguinal hernias can have different appearances. The appearance differs especially according to the patient’s current state and the pressure in the abdomen. A hernia that has occurred is not likely to heal on its own. It is not possible to cure inguinal hernia with medication. Inguinal hernias can only be treated with surgical intervention. In inguinal hernia surgeries, the priority of the operation is to control the pressure of the internal organ and to remove the intestine from the hernia pouch and put it in its place. Thanks to the surgical operation, precautions are taken to prevent the hernia from recurring as it is removed. A patient who is taken for hernia surgery is prepared for surgery with general anesthesia, local anesthesia or low back anesthesia before the operation. Local anesthesia is mostly used for small hernias. Most of the hernia operations are performed while the patient is under general anesthesia.
Hernia surgeries are performed in two types in terms of carrying out. These are open and closed surgeries in popular terms. Closed surgeries are also called laparoscopic surgery. During open surgery, a 5-6 cm incision is made on the abdomen. The operation is performed through the opened incision. In closed surgery, a large incision is not made. Instead, 3 small incisions (holes) of about 1 centimeter are made. One of these three holes is used to take images with the camera. The biggest advantage of closed hernia surgery is that the healing process takes place very quickly because the incisions are very small. Open surgery may be preferred if the hernia progresses or strangulates and the patient has other health problems.
Although there is a change in the type of surgery, every hernia surgery is performed for the same purpose. The basic approach is to remove the hernia, to place the hernia-causing organ in the right place, and to take measures to prevent hernia from recurring in that area. A tissue called patch or mesh is added to the relevant area. A person who has hernia surgery can usually return to his social life very quickly. The patient is followed up for 24 hours after the surgery. If no complications are observed, the patient is discharged. The patient should regularly dress the incision sites and keep them sterile. Especially patients who have closed surgery can return to their social life in a very short time.
