Types of Hernias
Hernia in General:Hernias are considered as a weakness, defect, or ‘hole’ in the abdominal wall or other structure through which tissue or organs can move outside from their normal location. There are many types of Hernias and many types of Hernia repair operations. We perform them all, but the right operation for you will depend on many factors. All operations should be individualised to meet your specific goals and expectations. Dr.Prashant Sharma individualises each hernia and its treatment according to its location, contents, the age and medical status of the patient, symptoms it may be causing including pain or intestinal issues, and an assessment of the hernia’s risk to the patient and the risk of surgery to repair it.
The key reason to repair a hernia in an adult is that they will not heal themselves, they tend to get larger with time, they often become painful and can strangulate. Strangulation is where bowel, organs or tissue become trapped in the Hernia, gets starved of blood supply then becomes ischaemic or dies. Strangulation is life threatening and requires an emergency operation. Upon your initial consultation with Dr.Prashant Sharma, he will assess all these considerations especially the latter one and discuss with you.
Inguinal Hernia:Dr. Prashant Sharma manages inguinal Hernias on a daily basis. Inguinal Hernias are among the most common of the abdominal wall Hernias accounting for almost 75% with a life time risk of 27% in men and 3% in women. These Hernias tend to form in the area where the blood vessels to the testicles move through the abdominal wall in men or where a small ligament to the uterus attaches in women. This area is a persistent area of potential weakness throughout one’s life. Inguinal Hernia can also arise right beside this area, in the floor of the groin. The exact location of the Hernia does not impact how the repair is initiated. Dr. Prashant’s minimally invasive surgery approach aims to repair the Hernia defects with lasting, permanent results.
Abdominal Ventral/Incisional Hernia:Ventral or abdominal Hernias occur when the intestine or other abdominal contents push through a weakness or ‘hole’ in the abdominal wall. If the bulge occurs in the area of a previous surgical incision, these hernias are referred to as incisional Hernias. Hernias can develop in these incisions during the weeks, months or even years after the initial operation. These are many factors that can affect the formation of an incisional Hernia including smoking, being overweight, diabetes, and a person’s genetics which dictates the type of healing tissue the patient naturally forms after a surgical incision. At Advanced Surgical Center, Dr.Prashant performs ventral/ incisional Hernia repair with abdominal wall reconstruction utilising various world-leading surgical techniques, such as eTEP Rives-Stoppa, eTEP TAR, and TAPP/Plus.
Femoral Hernia:Femoral Hernias are often categorised with and compared to inguinal Hernias, but they occur just under the groin. They are most common in women, but men do develop them as well. They occur when there is a weakness near the blood vessels travelling from the abdomen to the upper thigh. They are hard to distinguish from inguinal hernias on a physical examination. They carry a significant risk of strangulation. The advanced laparoscopic technique TEP (Totally extra-peritoneal) is well-suited for this type of hernia repair.
Hiatal Hernia: Hiatal Hernias occur when the stomach slides up through the diaphragm into the chest. Paraesophageal Hernias are more dangerous and occur when part of the stomach is free enough to twist on itself. This can lead to significant symptoms and even strangulation, which would require emergency medical care and surgical correction. These Hernias are not abdominal wall hernias and are treated in a very different way from inguinal and ventral or incisional Hernias. Hiatal hernia and Paraesophageal hernia are part of Dr Prashant’s speciality and interest, please make an appointment for personalised assessment.
Umbilical Hernia: An umbilical Hernia occurs in the naturally weakened area of the navel where the umbilical cord was attached as an infant. When seen in babies or small children these Hernias frequently get smaller on their own as the child ages. In adults these hernias do not close on their own and the only way to treat them is through surgery. It is a hernia (protrusion of fat or intestine through a small hole in the abdominal wall layer called fascia) that is located in or near your belly button. Umbilical hernias are common, and come in many sizes ranging from small (less than 1 cm) to medium (1 cm to 3 cm) to large (greater than 3cm). Umbilical Hernias can be asymptomatic or cause pain, and can be reducible (able to push back in) or incarcerated (always out). Umbilical hernias can present as a bulge or pain (or both) in your abdomen. Some have no symptoms at all. Dr. Prashant is one of the few surgeons in north of India who offer Diatasis Recti repair along with umbilical Hernia repair. This is often achieved with the Laparoscopic approach, please contact us for an initial consultation to discuss.
Spigelian Hernia: Spigelian Hernias are technically ventral Hernias, as they form in the abdominal wall. These hernias are uncommon and unique because they form between the layers of muscle of the abdomen wall. They cary a high risk of strangulation. Mr Prashant is specialised in endoscopic technique for repairing spigelian hernia without entering the abdominal cavity, such as the eTEP method.