Hernias How to Identify, Treat, and Recover
July 20, 2021
Did you know that hernia repairs are one of the most common operations done by general surgeons in the United States? Hernias most often develop as a result of muscle weakness and strain. This can happen due to many reasons, including age-related changes, damage due to injury or surgery, or other factors that place a strain on the body such as pregnancy, heavy lifting, constipation, or persistent chronic coughing.
What is a hernia?
A hernia occurs when an organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue that holds it in place. For example, intestines may break through a weakened area in the abdominal wall. There are several types of hernias that can occur including:
- Inguinal hernia: This is the most common type of hernia, and while both men and women can experience inguinal hernias, men are affected more often. In men, the inguinal canal is a passageway for blood vessels leading to the testicles, while in women, the inguinal canal contains the round ligament that gives support for the uterus. This type of hernia involves part of the intestine poking through the groin at the top of the inner thigh.
- Femoral hernia: These types of hernias are much less common than the inguinal type, and most commonly affect older women. In a femoral hernia, fatty tissue or part of the intestine protrudes into the groin at the top of the inner thigh.
- Umbilical hernia: In this type of hernia, fatty tissue or part of the intestine pushes through the abdomen near the navel.
- Hiatal hernia: These hernias involve part of the stomach pushing up into the chest cavity through an opening in the diaphragm.
- Incisional hernia: This hernia develops at the site of a previous surgery and can happen at any point following a surgery.
What are the symptoms of a hernia?
Hernias in the abdomen or groin can produce a lump or bulge. Often, this bulge can be pushed in, but will reappear after any sort of strain just as coughing, laughing, or other physical activity. You may also feel pain while lifting or a dull ache in the area, and the lump may increase in size over time.
For the most common type of hernia, the inguinal hernia, it is important to remember that while men do have a higher risk of developing, women can also experience this ailment. Women are likely underdiagnosed for inguinal hernias because they tend to have different symptoms than men, most often not having a noticeable bulge. Because the hernia is usually deeper in the body, a woman with a hernia will have chronic deep pelvic pain or bouts of stabbing pain that comes on quickly and lingers.
How are hernias treated?
While treatments vary depending on the type of hernia, inguinal hernias most often need surgical repair due to the likelihood of complications resulting in emergencies. At Trinity Health Of New England, we specialize in minimally invasive surgical techniques, including robotic surgery. Our expert surgeons perform minimally invasive surgery whenever possible and offer the newest advances in robotic technology, which includes equipping each of our hospitals with the leading-edge da Vinci Surgical System®.
“Our center provides cutting-edge, evidence-based hernia management to ensure the best possible outcomes with the highest level of patient satisfaction,” said Dr. James Bittner, Director of the Comprehensive Surgery Center at Saint Francis Hospital, a member of Trinity Health Of New England.
Benefits of minimally invasive and robotic surgeries include smaller incisions, lower risk of complications, reduced pain, less scarring, and quicker recovery times. For hernia treatment specifically, surgeons may perform laparoscopic surgery, which involves several small incisions used to insert a small thin video camera. Guided by the video images, surgeons are able to perform precise hernia repair.
“We are proud that surgeons at Saint Francis Hospital and all other Trinity Health Of New England locations have specialized, minimally invasive, fellowship trained surgeons that treat all types of hernias,” said Dr. Kurt Roberts, Chair of Surgery at Saint Francis. “From the basic to the most complex hernias, our surgeons make patient safety and quality outcomes their priority.”
Hernias may be common, but are treatable with the proper interventions. Visit the Trinity Health Of New England surgery location website to see all of the locations where these specialized surgeries can be performed in both Connecticut and western Massachusetts.