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Types of Hernias & Surgery
Most hernias show little to no symptoms, but it can become a chronic health problem. A patient feels intense pain and irritation when it gets worst. It mostly needs surgery to cure the problem completely. Moreover, there is no age limitation to develop a hernia in your body.
There are multiple types of hernia that need different treatments and surgeries. Let’s learn about some of them.
Types of Hernia
There are several types of hernia. The following are some most of the common forms of hernia.
· Inguinal Hernia
This is the most common form of hernia. An inguinal hernia occurs when your intestines tear in the lower abdominal wall or push through a weak place, mostly in the inguinal canal. Moreover, it also occurs predominantly in men.
In case you don’t know, the inguinal canal is present in your groin. In men, it is the place where spermatic cord travels from the abdomen to the scrotum. This cord places the testicles at its location. Whereas, women have this place in the inguinal canal, which has a ligament that helps to hold the uterus.
Men suffer more from this hernia because the testicles move down through the inguinal canal after birth. The canal needs to be closed entirely behind them. But sometimes the canal doesn’t close properly, which makes the area a weak spot.
Hiatal Hernia
It occurs when a spot of the stomach protrudes up and gets into your chest through the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a layer of muscles that helps you to inhale and exhale. It separates the organs of the abdomen and chest.
People age 50 or older are more prone to this hernia. Children can also develop this condition caused by a congenital disability.
Moreover, this hernia always leads to gastroesophageal reflux. It happens because your stomach’s contents get back to the esophagus, which causes burning sensations.
Umbilical Hernia
This hernia can occur in babies and children. It happens when children’s intestine bulges through the abdominal wall around their belly button, and you can notice the bulge near it.
However, this is the only type of hernia that sometimes goes away on its own when the abdominal wall becomes stronger, mostly, when the child turns to 1 or 2 years. The child needs surgery if the hernia doesn’t go away until the age of 5 years.
Adults can also develop this problem because of the pressure on the abdomen. In men, it can occur due to obesity, or fluid in the gut, whereas, women with multiple pregnancies are also prone to this condition.
Ventral Hernia
This hernia occurs when the tissue erupts through a hole in the muscles of your abdomen. You can notice its presence when you lie down.
A person can also have it from birth, but it usually occurs at any point in your life. Obesity, pregnancy, and intensive exercises can become the factor of its occurrence.
This hernia also occurs at the spot of a surgical incision and called incision hernia. It can happen because of the weak abdominal muscles or surgical scarring at the place of surgery.
Types of Repair
Different types of hernia need different types of surgeries. The following are some types of hernia surgery.
Herniorrhaphy (Tissue Repair)
Herniorrhaphy is the oldest method to repair the hernia and is still commonly used. This repair requires the surgeon to make a long incision directly over the hernia and use surgical tools to open it to get to the hernia.
Your surgeon removes the hernia sac after that tissue or organs return to their original position. They stitch the sides of the muscle hole through which they draw out the hernia from your body. After sterilizing the wound, the surgeon stitches it entirely.
Hernioplasty (Mesh Repair)
It is also known as tension-free hernia repair. Hernioplasty is a little different; instead of stitching the muscle, your surgeon covers it with a sterile, flat mesh. The mesh comes in different types of plastics, such as animal tissue and polypropylene.
The surgeon makes small cuts in the shape of the mesh in the surrounding area of the hole. After that, they stitch the mesh into the healthy tissues. The weak tissue around the hernia uses the patch as support to regrow.
Bottom Line
The hernia is a painful health problem and sometimes need the treatment immediately. It is a severe issue that needs good care and the best treatment. In this case, take help from the experts that have specialization related to the hernia.
Lenox Hill Surgeons are a compassionate team of surgeons who are experts in this field for years. These professionals meet all ethical standards and have done thousands of successful surgeries. You can contact us on our website or take an appointment on 646-846-1136.