We are searching data for your request:
Upon completion, a link will appear to access the found materials.
Operate hernia safely with a network
Every year around 275,000 people are operated on in Germany because of a hernia. An expert explains how a inguinal hernia, according to the medical term, can be recognized. And he also knows whether it is true that you can "break".
One of the most common surgical procedures
Health experts say that hernia surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in Germany. Initially, a hernia, also called a hernia, is often only noticeable by a slight pull in the groin or a swelling in the groin region. But later, massive pain can also occur. An expert from the University Hospital Freiburg explains in a message how a break occurs, how to recognize it and what to do.
Bulging of viscera
Like the surgeon Dr. Philipp Holzner, specialist at the Clinic for General and Abdominal Surgery at the University Medical Center Freiburg explains, a hernia is generally "a bulging of viscera, such as the intestine, by a defect in the abdominal wall."
An inguinal hernia emerges through the so-called outer inguinal ring and can then be seen and palpated.
According to the information, the intestines are rarely pinched so that they can no longer push back on their own. This is associated with increasing pain and sometimes with vomiting.
"Such incarceration represents a surgical emergency that requires surgery. Those affected should present themselves immediately in a surgical outpatient clinic," warns Dr. Holzner.
Men are affected much more often
Hernias can occur at natural weak spots in the abdominal wall or after abdominal surgery in the scar area. However, they are most common in the groin region.
The operation is carried out in Germany around 275,000 times a year. Men are said to have an inguinal hernia about ten times more often than women.
In addition to inguinal hernias, scar and navel fractures often occur. There are also other rare hernias of the abdominal wall.
How a hernia develops
"A fracture usually results from a weakness in the abdominal wall, particularly in the area of congenital weak spots or scars after abdominal surgery," explains Dr. Holzner.
A weak point in men is the area of the inner inguinal ring through which the spermatic cord pulls to the testicles.
Sometimes hernias are present at birth or arise over the course of life. Usually several factors come together when a hernia develops.
A decisive factor is the stability of the connective tissue, which differs individually.
Can you make a break?
According to the expert, lifting heavy loads or high physical stress only leads to a hernia if the connective tissue can no longer withstand the stress.
This means that the same strain over the years will result in a hernia in one person with weaker connective tissue and not in another person with strong connective tissue.
"As a result, the statement" lifting a fracture "can be described as partially incorrect, since stress is only one factor in the formation of hernias," explains the surgeon.
Only surgery remains as therapy
As the message says, the only therapy for a fracture is surgery. As the best form of treatment, the medical guidelines recommend an operation of the inguinal hernia using mesh reinforcement.
Instead of sewing the break point directly, a plastic net is placed in the hole, which overlaps with the surrounding tissue. This stimulates the body to form a layer of connective tissue in the mesh area.
“If the mesh is placed correctly, the recurrence of a hernia can be significantly reduced. In addition, very large breaks can be treated that could not otherwise have been closed with the body's own tissue, ”says Dr. Holzner.
In most cases, the doctor advises against a hernia belt or abdominal belt.
"A hernia band can prevent the hernia from emerging and, depending on the load, increase in size, but it weakens the abdominal muscles and thus indirectly contributes to the progression of the disease," explains the surgeon.
"In the short term, that is also before an operation, a belt or a truss can be used."
It becomes more complicated when the fracture recurs after surgery and when fractures occur in several places.
In inguinal hernias, surgery using keyhole surgery, i.e. minimally invasive, is often possible.
Back home on the day of the operation
Planned inguinal hernia operations can be performed under general anesthesia, spinal cord anesthesia or under local anesthesia.
"There are good experiences with treating uncomplicated hernias outpatient," says Professor Dr. Stefan Fichtner-Feigl, Medical Director of the Clinic for General and Visceral Surgery at the University Medical Center Freiburg.
Thanks to this gentle surgical method, the patient can often go home on the same day. (ad)
