Inguinal hernia - symptoms and treatment
What is an inguinal hernia? We will analyze the causes of occurrence, diagnosis and treatment methods in the article of Dr. Svechkar I. Yu., a surgeon with 12 years of experience.
Publication date October 2, 2017Updated August 16, 2019
Inguinal hernia- this is a pathological condition in which through the "weak spot" of the lower part of the abdominal wall, or rather, the inguinal region, there is an exit, or protrusion, of the abdominal organs. The weak point in this case is the inguinal canal. It is present in all people, in men the spermatic cord passes through it, in women - the round ligament of the uterus.
Normally, this channel is not expanded and passes only the above formations. Sometimes it expands, and then an additional hernial canal is formed in it. The formation of a hernia is facilitated by diseases or situations accompanied by an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (severe physical exercise, especially with their "explosive" nature - for example, pushing a barbell in weightlifters, a significant increase in body weight, constipation, fluid accumulation, large tumors of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, sometimes - pregnancy).
A certain role can be played by the so-called "weakness of the connective tissue" - a genetically determined or acquired during life violation of the natural balance of the components of muscle and connective tissue, leading to a decrease in their tone and an increase in extensibility. Contrary to popular belief, injuries (falls, blows to the groin) almost never lead to herniation.
In different age groups, the incidence of the disease is different. If we talk about early age, then in children, inguinal hernias occur almost exclusively in boys, are congenital in nature due to incomplete fusion of the embryonic testicular membranes and appear in the first years of life. In girls, inguinal hernias are extremely rare. At a young and mature age, an inguinal hernia is the lot of men engaged in physical labor. Closer to old age, due to a decrease in the tone of muscle and connective tissue, inguinal hernias are more common and again in men, in women - rarely.
If you experience similar symptoms, consult your doctor. Do not self-medicate - it is dangerous for your health!
There are few clinical symptoms of an inguinal hernia, but they are quite bright and in most cases are easily recognized by a person even without a medical education:
This is the main and most noticeable symptom, which is most often detected by the patient himself. The protrusion can be of different sizes and shapes, located closer to the midline of the abdomen or closer to the inguinal fold. It can descend into the scrotum and significantly increase its volume and deform - in such cases, there is a need to differentiate this condition with hydrocele.
2. Pain. This is a symptom that occurs far from always, in less than half of the cases. It is localized in the area of the narrowest point of the hernial canal and most often indicates an increase in the size of the hernia and periodic compression of the hernial contents in this place, which is an alarming signal. It is necessary to carry out the operation in case of a gradual increase in pain without long delays. In addition, pain syndrome can appear when the hernial sac is compressed by the nerve trunks passing in this area - the ilioinguinal nerve and its branches.
3. Discomfort in the groin. It is observed more often than pain, has the same origin, but is less pronounced.
4. Violation of urination(difficulty, soreness, feeling of incomplete emptying Bladder). Occurs in cases where part of the bladder is hernial content in the case of the so-called sliding inguinal hernia, its partial bending, dysfunction and emptying occurs. There are practically no cases of acute complete urinary retention against the background of a hernia.
5. Violation of bowel function. The presence of a part of the small or large intestine in a hernia can lead to its deformation and disruption of the passage of the contents, which is manifested by constipation, bloating, difficulty in passing stools and gases, and pain in different parts of the abdomen. The extreme manifestation of this symptom is the development of acute intestinal obstruction, which requires urgent surgical care.
6 . Fertility dysfunction in men. A number of scientific studies carried out in last years, the connection of an inguinal hernia with a violation of spermatogenesis, a decrease in the activity and fertility of spermatozoa has been proven. This is due both to the mechanical impact and to the violation of the adequate temperature regime in the zone of spermatogenesis. In this case, an inguinal hernia repair surgery can help eliminate this important medical and social problem.
How is an oblique inguinal hernia formed? With an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (heavy physical activity, cough, constipation, etc.), the muscle and tendon fibers of the inner ring of the inguinal canal are stretched and deformed (from the inside - from the side of the abdominal cavity). The peritoneum penetrates into this expanded ring - a thin, durable shell lining abdominal cavity from within. Since the inner inguinal ring is the strongest and most stress-resistant component of the inguinal canal, further expansion of the underlying parts of the inguinal canal is much easier and faster. As this is pressed by intra-abdominal pressure, the peritoneum penetrates further and further along the expanding inguinal canal, forming a hernial peritoneal sac.
The course and location of the hernial sac differ depending on the type of hernia. In the hernial sac, especially when it is large, various organs and tissues of the abdominal cavity can exit - part of the greater omentum, large and small intestines, appendix, uterine appendages, bladder.
The hernial sac can grow for a long time and reach a considerable size. Cases of giant inguinal-scrotal hernias up to 10 liters in volume, containing most of the abdominal organs that migrated there, are described.
Any inguinal hernia should be repaired in the operating room. In principle, all inguinal hernias, depending on the characteristics of the passage of the hernial canal, are divided into:
1. Oblique- exit through the internal lateral inguinal fossa, pass through the inguinal canal and its inner ring, in men they can descend lower into the scrotum. Men are more often unilateral. In women, oblique inguinal hernias are almost always observed. More often lead to infringement than direct hernias.
2. Straight- exit through the internal medial inguinal fossa, do not pass through the entire inguinal canal, but by weakening it rear wall go into the subcutaneous tissues of the suprapubic region. More often they are bilateral and in men. Women are extremely rare. Less prone to infringement than the oblique form.
There are also sliding hernias - this is a hernia into which, as it were, a part of an anatomically located and fixed nearby abdominal organ slips - for example, the bladder or rectosigmoid junction of the colon.
The only, but extremely formidable complication of an inguinal hernia is its infringement. This happens when at some point the hernial contents pass in a large volume into the hernial sac through a narrow place - the hernial orifice, and due to the narrowness of these orifices, it cannot return back to the native abdominal cavity.
In this case, there is a violation of the blood supply to the strangulated organ (ischemia), which over time can quickly provoke tissue necrosis (necrosis) and the development of extremely undesirable phenomena - peritonitis, phlegmon of the hernial sac and phlegmon of the soft tissues of the abdominal wall. Infringement can occur with any of the above organs, but as a rule, the most mobile structures of the abdominal cavity - the small intestine and the greater omentum - are affected. If there is an infringement of the inguinal hernia, an urgent operation is necessary. The faster the operation is performed, the less ischemic changes in the affected structures will be expressed, the less intervention will be, and the better the overall prognosis of recovery.
There are no other complications. Pain and irreducibility of a hernia in the absence of infringement (it happens sometimes!) Are not complications, as is often believed, but symptoms of the disease.
Identification and diagnosis of an inguinal hernia are performed by a surgeon. As life shows, the diagnosis made by a general practitioner, a general practitioner or a neighbor of Kolya, who “had the same one three years ago, and it was cut out” is often not confirmed. If in doubt, go see a surgeon. It is desirable to see a surgeon who himself performs operations on inguinal hernias and has the necessary experience. The doctor collects an anamnesis - interviews the patient, clarifies how long ago and under what circumstances the hernia appeared, whether it increased over time and what symptoms were accompanied. Then follows the most important part of the diagnostic process (and this is not an ultrasound, as some believe!) - examination and palpation of the inguinal region. According to statistics, at this stage, an experienced surgeon establishes a diagnosis in 97-99% of cases. The diagnostic power of modern medicine in the form of ultrasound, CT and MRI is not needed for the disease in question. Although, if distrustful and doubting patients wish, these studies will confirm the presence of an inguinal hernia and help resolve doubts.
Any inguinal hernia is subject to surgical treatment. No other methods - taking medication, wearing bandages, following the advice of healers, fortune-tellers and other adepts alternative medicine, it will not be removed.
If there is an inguinal hernia, it must be operated on as planned in the surgical department. If suddenly an infringement of an inguinal hernia occurs, then the procedure for the operation is changed to an emergency one. Ideally, surgery should be completed within two hours of the infringement. So it is better to put fears aside and solve the problem as early as possible.
Now consider the types of operations used to treat inguinal hernia. Leaving aside the historical aspects and dozens of previously proposed authoring techniques that are already being used, we can say that there are actually 3-4 methods of inguinal canal plastic surgery left. There is an open method and laparoscopic.
Open, or external method of hernia repair- this is when, under general or spinal (but not local, this is also a thing of the past!) Anesthesia, a 6-8 cm long incision is made in the inguinal region, the inguinal canal is opened. Then the hernia is removed - by isolating, opening and excising the hernial sac, returning the hernial contents (intestine, omentum or bladder) to its place in the abdominal cavity. This is followed by the most important part of the operation - strengthening, or plastic surgery of the inguinal canal. All the variability of the author's proposals consisted precisely in this stage. Now, the Lichtenstein method is almost always used, which involves sewing a polypropylene mesh implant into the back wall of the inguinal canal.
Polypropylene is practically the same material that is used to make fishing line, only thinner, more flexible and sterilized accordingly. It is very durable, does not dissolve, and its rupture is practically impossible. The grid size is selected individually. The mesh is attached with separate sutures to the strong tendon structures of the inguinal region. The duration of the operation is on average from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The method is reliable: 95-98% probability of no recurrence. Of the nuances - the possibility of local wound complications (the formation of accumulations of fluid near the mesh, the possibility of suppuration of the wound, pain after surgery, sometimes persistent long-term pain associated with damage to the nerve trunks passing in the area of operation).
Laparoscopic method of hernia repair. The full name is transperitoneal preperitoneal laparoscopic hernioplasty (TAPP in the English abbreviation) and total extraperitoneal inguinal hernioplasty (TER). It is preferred to the open method. The most modern, advanced and reliable method getting rid of an inguinal hernia. It was first tested in 1991 in Europe, in wide clinical use in Russian medicine relatively recently - within 10 years. It is not performed in every clinic (an expensive laparoscopic rack and instruments are required) and not by every specialist (a certain level of training and experience is required). It is performed under general anesthesia, like any laparoscopic surgery. Three incisions-punctures of the abdominal wall are performed, 1-1.5 cm long. Carbon dioxide is introduced into the abdominal cavity (it is safe!), with further introduction of a video camera and special long instruments through special hollow tubes (trocars). During the operation from the inside, from the side of the abdominal cavity, the hernia is eliminated. Then a mesh implant is installed from the inside (there are variations, but in general it corresponds to what is installed with the open method). The anatomical layer of the mesh installation - preperitoneal - differs from the open method. The size of the mesh installed during laparoscopy is larger than with the open Lichtenstein method - an average of 15x10 cm. And, very importantly, the anatomical overlap zone of the mesh is also larger and covers the sites of potential exit of 3 hernias - oblique inguinal, direct inguinal and femoral from the corresponding side. The mesh is attached with special staples to the tendon structures of the inguinal region and is closed from the inside with a peritoneal sheath to prevent the formation of adhesions. The reliability of the method is very high: the probability of recurrence is 1-5%.
If the patient refuses treatment, there are two further options for the development of events. The first is that an inguinal hernia remains with a person for life in the form of a concomitant pathology and, to one degree or another, affects his well-being. The second - when a hernia is incarcerated, the further prognosis is very variable and depends on many factors (the duration of the infringement, the nature of the strangulated hernia contents, the degree of ischemia or necrosis, and also on age, general condition organism, the presence and degree of compensation of concomitant diseases).
Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia - do not be afraid, discard doubts and sign up for a planned operation, and in this case your problem will be solved. Be healthy!
Inguinal hernia is a common disease in which there is a noticeable protrusion of the peritoneum into the cavity of the inguinal canal.
This disease is most common in men: among the total number of patients with inguinal hernias, representatives of the stronger sex account for 90 to 97 percent. Such a frequent manifestation of the disease in men is associated with anatomical characteristic features groin area.
As a result of certain reasons related to lifestyle, the specifics of work or due to hereditary predisposition, specific weaknesses can form in the walls of various cavities of both men (inguinal) and women (abdominal, umbilical). These areas in medical terminology are called hernial orifices, through which different internal organs can protrude into the subcutaneous region, thereby forming a hernia.
In almost all cases of inguinal hernia, treatment requires surgery, regardless of the symptoms and location. In men, it often descends into the scrotum, thereby forming an inguinal-scrotal hernia.
All inguinal hernias are divided into congenital and acquired. Congenital hernias are usually diagnosed in children and account for approximately 90% of all childhood hernias. In adults, only 10-12% of congenital hernias are diagnosed.
This type develops in violation of intrauterine development. They can appear already in the neonatal period or (more often) gradually increase with age. Sometimes congenital inguinal hernias can be combined with other malformations.
Approximately 85% of all hernias are acquired. The occurrence of a hernia is associated with predisposing causes and producing ones.
Predisposing causes this is:
And all the factors that cause an increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity are considered to be producing, which leads to the appearance of a hernia.
These factors include:
And of course, for the occurrence of this trouble, the very presence of the inguinal canal is a prerequisite.
Inguinal hernia in men can be of two types: a spit and a straight line. The names speak for themselves.
The cause of all these problems are weak muscles of the posterior wall of the inguinal canal. Conservative treatment of inguinal hernia is impossible. To eliminate the causes of its occurrence, an operation is performed to strengthen the posterior wall of the inguinal canal.
An inguinal-scrotal hernia is a prolapse of internal organs into the scrotum due to failure of the connective tissue of the inner or outer inguinal ring, which are natural openings in the abdominal wall. It is formed for various reasons. In children, congenital or hereditary factors play a decisive role. In adults, these are acquired factors.
This hernia is oval. In this case, the protrusion descends into the scrotum, which leads to a stretching of the corresponding type, concentrated on one side and leading to visual asymmetry.
In the case of an inguinal hernia, symptoms may appear immediately after birth or throughout life. The primary signs of acquired and congenital inguinal hernia are the same.
Most often, a man himself discovers a swelling or protrusion in the groin area. In most cases, this swelling increases with exercise and even with coughing. To the touch, the appeared formation is soft, elastic, painful sensations are not observed.
Inguinal hernias in men decrease when moving to the prone position and increase in the standing position. When pressed, the protrusion is easily reduced, and a characteristic rumbling is heard. In the reduced state, a wide inguinal ring is easily felt through the skin in the groin. If the hernia is in the scrotum, it will not be symmetrical.
This pathology can be complicated by infringements and inflammation of the hernia, in addition, in some cases, ischemic orchitis begins (testicles become inflamed), intestinal obstruction due to stagnation stool.
When organs are infringed may need immediate assistance. By the way, you can recognize this condition by the following symptoms:
In some cases, the symptoms of an inguinal hernia are confused with a disease such as testicular dropsy. But it is easy to distinguish them by the location of the testicle: with dropsy, it is located in the dropsy, and with a hernia - outside it. In addition, with dropsy, the formation has a tight surface, and with a hernia, it is soft.
If a strange protrusion is found, even if there is no pain, the man should see a doctor. Otherwise, the consequences will be more serious.
A timely visit to a specialist will save the patient from such possible consequences:
If the doctor notices characteristics pathology, then he offers the only option - to carry out the removal. How to treat an inguinal hernia, and what type of operation should be chosen by the surgeon together with the patient, in each case, the tactics of surgical intervention may be different.
If an inguinal hernia is found in men, treatment must be performed promptly, but sometimes situations arise when the operation has to be postponed for some time. In this case, patients are prescribed to wear a special bandage, which helps prevent the development of the disease and infringement of internal organs.
You should know that the bandage does not relieve a man of the disease, but can only maintain a hernia in a stable condition. It is rather prophylactic than the treatment itself.
The bandage must not be used if the hernial sac is already strangulated and cannot be reduced.
The presence of an inguinal hernia does not require emergency surgical intervention, so the operation is planned in advance (if there is no infringement).
Unfortunately, conservative methods, treatment folk remedies, various drugs or wearing bandages will not be able to save you from the disease. It is caused due to the human anatomical structure. In the case of an inguinal hernia, treatment in men is possible only by surgery.
The main task of surgical intervention is to return the contents of the hernial sac to its place, as well as to close the hernial orifice so that there is no recurrence of the disease.
Surgery to remove an inguinal hernia is of two types:
The operation is characterized by a classic scheme, according to which the doctor gains access to the inguinal canal, after which the hernial sac is isolated and cut off by the surgeon and the inguinal opening is sutured. Providing access is possible endoscopically, in which a small puncture is made in the abdominal wall.
Doctors also use the Liechtenstein method, in which an incision of 10-12 centimeters is made, which is necessary to remove the hernial sac. To strengthen the area and prevent recurrence, a special mesh is hemmed.
In addition to these 2 methods of treating inguinal hernia in men, today the use of obturation plastics is common, during which a 3-4 cm incision is made, after which the hernial sac is reduced into the abdominal cavity and inguinal canal. For the purpose of strengthening, the mesh is also hemmed.
The operation of an inguinal hernia in men occurs under local anesthesia, but there are times when they resort to a general one. Depending on the method of treatment, the rehabilitation period has a different duration. If obturation plastic is used, it lasts only a few hours. With the complete removal of the inguinal hernia, the rehabilitation period can be extended to several days.
The operation to remove a hernia lasts up to an hour and a half. How long it will take will depend on the size of the hernia, the presence of infringement, as well as the chosen method of surgical intervention.
In addition, the type of anesthesia used will depend on the choice of operation - general, local or combined.
After the operation, strict adherence to the diet is required. You can not eat foods that cause the formation of gases: fruits, yoghurts, sweets. Two days of bed rest are shown, and subsequently a strict restriction of any physical activity. A few days after surgery, dressings begin to be made, and sutures are removed ten days later.
Inguinal hernia is a fairly common pathology of the anterior abdominal wall. More often this disease occurs in men, since their inguinal canal is much wider and much worse protected by connective tissue than in women. Inguinal hernia in children is much less common, and in most cases it is congenital. The hernia is usually filled with a part of the small intestine or omentum. Sometimes such a hernia in men occurs when the hernia descends into the scrotum, then it is called inguinal-scrotal.
In almost all cases, a hernia is visible to the naked eye, since a characteristic protrusion appears in its place, which does not disappear on its own and can be pinched. A pinched hernia usually causes acute intestinal obstruction, which leads to inflammation, and stool stasis. This process is usually accompanied by severe pain.
All inguinal hernias are divided into congenital and acquired. Congenital hernias are commonly diagnosed in children and account for approximately 90% of all childhood hernias. In adults, only 10-12% of congenital hernias are diagnosed. Typically, these hernias are due to anatomical feature organism - non-closure of the vaginal process of the peritoneum. It is formed during the descent of the testicle into the scrotum, and if this hole does not close, then a passage is created between the peritoneum and the scrotal cavity.
Approximately 85% of all hernias are acquired. AT the occurrence of a hernia is associated with predisposing causes and producing ones. Predisposing causes are:
And all the factors that cause an increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity are considered to be producing, which leads to the appearance of a hernia. These factors include:
And of course, for the occurrence of an inguinal hernia, the very presence of an inguinal canal is a prerequisite.
The symptomatology of a hernia is highly dependent on the size and on which particular organ is in the hernial cavity. A common feature of all inguinal hernias is severe discomfort and pronounced pain in the groin area. When walking, these sensations intensify. In parallel, disorders of urination and digestion may occur. In the area of the hernia, swelling is usually noticeable, which becomes more noticeable with straining.
If the inguinal hernia is large enough, they lead to an increase in the corresponding side of the scrotum and deviation of the penis in the opposite direction. In the case of a very large hernia, the penis may be completely hidden under the skin. If the inguinal hernia is very large, then its contents cease to return to the abdominal cavity and the work of the internal organs affected by the hernia is disrupted.
Sometimes an irreducible inguinal-scrotal hernia is confused with a hydrocele or dropsy of the testicular membranes. Also sometimes confused with a hernia varicocele - varicose veins in the spermatic cord. Both of these diseases cause pain, while hydrocede also leads to an increase in the size of the scrotum.
The most common complications of an inguinal hernia are infringement, as well as irreducibility, inflammation, coprostasis, and damage to the hernia itself and the organs inside it. Neoplasm and foreign bodies in the hernia cavity are much less common. The most common and, at the same time, the most dangerous complication of a hernia is strangulation. Such a complication, in fact, is the squeezing of the contents of the hernia and requires immediate surgical intervention. Infringement can be fecal or elastic, their combination is also found.
With elastic restraint a large number of organs slips through the hernial orifice into the hernial sac. This can happen when the hernial ring is stretched due to severe overexertion, such as during coughing, straining, physical labor, etc. As soon as the pressure normalizes, the hernial orifice returns to its normal state and pinches the organs. The released organs remain outside.
Fecal infringement is more common in older people. It is associated with a weakening of intestinal motility, which promotes its contents. In the area of the intestine located in the hernial sac, a large amount of feces accumulates, which put pressure on the hernial orifice, which in turn leads to squeezing the contents of the sac by the hernial orifice. This leads to the fact that the fecal infringement is supplemented with elastic.
In most cases, elastic infringement is accompanied by sharp pain, and the person is immediately sent to the hospital. But with fecal or mixed infringement, strong pain may not be. Then in the restrained organ, blood circulation and lymph circulation are disturbed. Gradually, fluid from the vessels enters the intestines and into the hernial sac, and this leads to increased infringement.
The next stage is the gradual necrosis of the restrained organ. The necrosis of the intestine usually begins with the mucous membrane. Gangrene of the intestine may gradually begin, which leads to perforation of the wall. Then the stool gets into the hernial sac, which leads to peritonitis and pathological changes in the entire intestine and in the abdominal cavity.
If the large intestine gets into the hernial sac, this can lead to coprostasis. The prolapse of the intestine into the bag leads to a violation of intestinal motility, so the feces cannot adequately move forward. Promotes coprostasis senile age, the presence excess weight and imbalance. Coprostasis manifests itself in the form of intractable constipation, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. It also often leads to infringement.
As a result of fusion of internal organs that have fallen into the hernial sac, irreducibility of the hernia may occur.. It is impossible to correct such a hernia without injuring its contents. Irreducibility can be complete or partial. With partial, some of the contents of the hernia can be set inside the abdominal cavity.
When the hernial sac becomes infected, inflammation of the hernia may develop. In this case, the size of the hernia increases, and the skin over it turns red. In such a situation, the patient's state of health will noticeably worsen, body temperature may rise, chills, vomiting, stool retention and flatus may appear.
Sometimes the hernia is damaged or even the intestine in the hernial sac is torn. This happens with a sharp increase in intra-abdominal pressure or with an injury. Very rare neoplasms of a hernia. Most often these are lipomas or wen of the hernial sac. Sometimes foreign bodies get into the hernia, for example, objects swallowed by the patient or stones from the bladder, even worms.
After the treatment of an inguinal hernia, physical activity is usually prohibited, but as soon as the ban is lifted, it is necessary to perform special exercises to strengthen the muscles of the abdominal wall. Regular performance of these exercises helps to avoid the appearance of a new hernia. They will also be useful for those who have a predisposition to the appearance of hernias. There are several basic exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles that help prevent the development of a hernia.
To perform the first exercise, you need to lie on your back and bend your knees, and place your hands behind your head, with your palms you need to hold the back of your head. After that, you need to raise your left leg, bending at the knee, and try to reach it with your elbow right hand. After returning to the starting position, the same exercise is repeated with the other leg and the other hand. If you repeat it 50 times twice a day, then a hernia will most likely be avoided. You can also do "scissors" and "bicycle" lying on your back. Very effective and circular movements of the legs in the prone position, but the hernia must be held.
Traditional medicine offers a huge number of recipes for the treatment of hernia. You can argue about their effectiveness for a long time, but such treatment has a minimum of negative consequences. The only caveat is if you choose for yourself folk methods treatment, it is periodically necessary to visit a doctor and check if there is any deterioration. If it is, then it is better to immediately operate on the hernia.
Often folk recipes hernia treatments suggest applying an acid leaf to a protruding hernia. You can also apply cabbage brine compresses.
Also, for the treatment of inguinal hernia, it is often recommended to use washing with a cold aqueous solution of vinegar. To prepare the solution, use 2 tbsp. l. 4% vinegar and 1 glass of water. After a cool wash, apply a compress of red wine and oak leaves. Sometimes compresses with an infusion of wormwood or rye bread with garlic give a positive effect.
The mentioned compresses often help to stop the growth of a hernia, but they are unable to completely cure it. External treatment can be combined with herbs that help strengthen connective tissue and ligaments. Such plants include cornflower, meadowsweet, gooseberry, horsetail, immortelle and larch bark.
Modern medicine offers only one way to treat a hernia - an operative one. And of course surgery can be of two types:
If there are no significant complications, then the operation to remove the hernia is performed under local anesthesia. The scar after the operation usually remains small, and since it is located in the inguinal fold, it is not easy to notice it.
Previously, hernias were removed using laparoscopic surgery, but such an operation often led to complications in the form of adhesions and the creation of artificial hernia gates. Today, it is gradually abandoned and in most cases hernioplasty is preferred. This operation allows you to shorten the recovery period and avoid relapses and complications.
During the operation, a special synthetic mesh is used, which helps to strengthen the abdominal wall and prevents a new hernia from forming. This operation is performed under general anesthesia.
The recovery period after the operation may have a different duration depending on the type of operation and its complexity. If an obturation plastic was performed, then the rehabilitation period can last only a few hours, and with the complete removal of the inguinal hernia, it can last up to several days. After the operation, men are forbidden to perform any activities that can lead to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, even to perform sports exercises.
Inguinal hernia in men is not only an aesthetic defect, but also a dangerous condition. Untimely or incorrect treatment of inguinal hernia in men can lead to complications and even death. This article will provide all the most effective methods address this very difficult problem.
Inguinal hernia- This is a condition accompanied by a protrusion of the contents of the abdominal cavity through the inguinal canal. In other words, with a hernia, the wall of the peritoneum in the region of the inguinal canal is partially stretched, and a hole is formed inside it. The organs of the abdominal cavity, having received additional space, begin to penetrate through this opening. Thus, a bulge forms on the outer surface of the groin in a man.
In medicine, there are several terms that refer to the concept of "inguinal hernia":
The reasons for this condition can be:
Often, men with a hernia seek medical help very late. The reasons for this are rather weak first signs of the disease. Most often, they appear already in the later stages of hernia development. These include:
Note!
When lying down, the hernia can refuel on its own, and when the press is tense, it often protrudes again.
A more dangerous condition is a pinched inguinal hernia. With this form of the disease, the following symptoms can be observed:
Many men think that there is nothing terrible and dangerous in the inguinal hernia. In fact, such a disease can lead to a number of complications and other diseases:
All of these diseases are extremely unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous. For example, infringement of a hernia can generally lead to death. That is why a timely appeal to a specialist and treatment of an inguinal hernia can prevent many problems, and sometimes even save a man's life.
To date, the most effective and reasonable way to get rid of an inguinal hernia is surgery. A timely operation can save a man from such an unpleasant disease and its complications.
In addition to surgical intervention, there are a number of methods aimed at combating inguinal hernia in men:
No matter how promising non-surgical ways to get rid of an inguinal hernia may seem, surgery still remains the only medically recognized way to treat this disease.
A few decades ago, the only surgical way to get rid of an inguinal hernia was the method of tension plastics. Such a surgical intervention implied tightening of the hernial orifice due to the tissues of the abdominal wall. However, this method had a large number side effects:
Thanks to modern technologies and innovative inventions today, this practice has sunk into oblivion. Increasingly, surgeons are using other, less painful and more effective techniques to remove an inguinal hernia. These include:
It involves the use of local anesthesia. After anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision in the groin and separates the spermatic cord. The doctor can excise a hernia or simply set it. Then the plastic of the hernial ring is made. The surgeon puts in their place a special polymer mesh with a hole for the spermatic cord and sews it to the surrounding tissues. The material used is synthetic, therefore its rejection by the body does not occur. Over time, the mesh becomes overgrown with human tissues and acts as a support material. A few hours after the operation, the patient can go home. The disadvantage of this technique is an unaesthetic visual effect - a small scar remains on the body.
Video
Surgeon, Doctor of Medical Sciences: Kosovan Viktor Nikolaevich tells in detail about an inguinal hernia.
This operation is performed under general anesthesia (which is the disadvantage of this technique). After anesthesia, three punctures are made in the anterior abdominal wall. Through the punctures, everything penetrates into the abdominal cavity. necessary tools, and carbon dioxide is pumped in. Thanks to the gas and the maximum tension of the abdominal wall, the hernial sac is pushed back into the abdominal cavity. With the help of the introduced instruments, the doctor from the inside puts a “patch” in the form of a mesh on the hernial orifice, and sutures the errors. This technique is ineffective when the hernia reaches an impressive size. Also, laparoscopic surgery is several times more expensive than the standard one.
This operation is considered the most effective and safe, as it is performed under local anesthesia (in rare cases under general anesthesia), does not leave scars on the body and minimizes internal tissue damage. With a similar method of hernia reduction, events unfold in the preperitoneal space. "Patch" in this case is superimposed not inside the abdominal cavity, but between the layers of the abdominal wall. With the endoscopic method, there is no need to suture the mesh, as it will be held by pressure inside the abdominal cavity. The only drawback of this technique is its high cost and high requirements for the qualification of the surgeon.
It is worth noting that the cost of a hernia surgery will directly depend on the following factors:
Bandage for inguinal hernia
The only method of conservative treatment of an inguinal hernia recognized among physicians is the wearing of a special bandage. Such a device allows you to reduce the load on the muscles of the groin and alleviate the patient's condition.
In some cases, wearing a bandage may not only not give proper results, but also aggravate the situation, as well as lead to other complications.
Doctors allow the use of a bandage only in cases where the hernia is reducible or there are contraindications to the operation:
In the case of a hernia, visceral therapy refers to the mechanical reduction of the hernial sac into the abdominal cavity. By performing such manipulations, the patient may experience relief. However, this practice is not a panacea for hernia. In addition, only an experienced manual doctor should engage in such actions. Self-reduction of a hernia can lead to undesirable consequences.
Many experts warn that any physical activity with an inguinal hernia is prohibited, since during an overstrain of the groin muscles, the hernia may become pinched or protrude even more.
Yoga for inguinal hernia in men
Adherents of self-medication argue that some exercises are quite useful for such a disease. In fact, such exercises are best performed only as a preventive measure even before the formation of a hernia. Some yoga asanas are especially good for these purposes, excluding sudden movements and overexertion.
Traditional medicine offers its own vision of the treatment of inguinal hernia. Some healers advise their patients to get rid of this disease with the help of cold. Patients are allowed to apply cold compresses to the site of the protrusion, wipe it with ice or swallow ice cubes to soothe the pain. Doctors are categorically against such therapy, since sudden cooling can lead to muscle contraction and provoke a pinched hernia.
In addition to cold therapy in the national health resort, you can find a number of different lotions, compresses and ointments for inguinal hernia. Here are the most popular ones:
1 In 400 g of boiling water, you need to throw 2 tsp. oak bark and boil them for at least 10-15 minutes. The resulting brew must be covered and wait for it to cool. From the resulting infusion, it is recommended to make a compress on the place of protrusion for 3 hours.
2 You can also make a night compress from sauerkraut juice.
3 In half a liter of water, 4 tablespoons must be diluted. apple cider vinegar. Soak gauze with the resulting solution and make a compress out of it.
4 Golden mustache, plantain leaves and onions must be chopped in a food processor or passed through a meat grinder. Pork fat must be added to the resulting greens. The resulting ointment is recommended to be smeared at night.
In conclusion, it should be said that with the diagnosis of an inguinal hernia, it is not recommended to self-medicate. Timely, qualified assistance is the best way getting rid of this disease. Therefore, at the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to immediately seek advice from a therapist or surgeon.
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