Forsyth Medical Center 
Hernia
| A hernia is a protrusion of part of an organ through the muscle wall that surrounds it. |
There are several types of hernias including:
An inguinal hernia occurs in the groin area, when the section of intestines pushes through a weak spot in the inguinal canal. This type of hernia presents as a noticeable bulge in the groin area, with or without pain. Click on the link above for more details on the inguinal hernia.
Femoral Hernia
The femoral hernia presents as a noticeable bulge low in the groin area. This can be more difficult to differentiate from the inguinal hernia at times. However, this type of hernia is more common in women.
Umbilical Hernia
With the umbilical hernia, a noticeable bulge appears at the navel (umbilicus). An umbilical hernia in a child will typically close without surgery.
Epigastric Hernia
The epigastric hernia appears as a noticeable bulge between the breast bone and the navel.
Incisional Hernia
An incisional hernia appears anywhere on the abdominal wall at the site of an incision of a previous abdominal operation.
This type of hernia occurs due to an enlargement in the opening of the diaphragm when the esophagus enters the abdomen. Symptoms of the hiatial/paraesophageal hernia include nausea, vomiting, chest pain and reflux. Click on the link above to learn more about this type of hernia.
Common surgical procedures to treat hernia include:
Open Hernia Repair
All hernias may be repaired with an incision over the area where the hernia presented and repaired with a prosthetic patch. This procedure is referred to as an open hernia repair.
Laparoscopic Hernia Repair
Most hernias can be repaired laparoscopically. During the laparoscopic hernia repair, three to five small incisions are made and a laparoscope is inserted through these incisions to repair the hernia. Recovery time and pain are usually less with this procedure than with an open hernia repair.
