Surgery treatment of hernias of the anterior abdominal wall

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The abdominal wall is the area of the body between the sternum and the inguinal region, on which the muscles that hold the intestine and other organs of the abdominal cavity in their natural position are located. But when the abdominal wall is weakened for some reasons, a hernia can develop.

A hernia occurs due to the weakening of the abdominal muscles, which displaces other tissues or organs, for example, the loops of the intestine. When, due to movement or load, intra-abdominal pressure increases, the hernial ring increases and tissues of other organs fall out of it, for example, part of the intestine. Hernia is characterized by a specific subcutaneous bulb, intense pain and discomfort during exercise.

Signs of a herniated abdominal wall are the following:

• a bulb on the abdomen that disappears in the position face up;
• pain during exercising, moving, or coughing.

Factors contributing to the development of hernias:

• obesity and overweight;
• birth defects of the abdominal wall;
• previous injuries or surgical interventions in the abdominal cavity;
• laboring job or sports;
• urinary difficulty;
• regular constipations;
• accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.

The hernia does not go away on its own, over time it increases and becomes more and more painful.

Hernia can cause the compression of impacted organs, which disrupts their blood supply – the tissues that have fallen into the hernial sac begin to die. This causes a serious condition and can be life-threatening. In this case immediate surgery is needed.

The choice of treatment method is carried out individually for each patient. The doctor takes into account the type of hernia, the stage of its course, the characteristics of the patient's body condition.

The exception is provided by the patients with acute infections, dermatitis and eczema in the hernia area, women in late pregnancy period, patients with severe systemic or viral diseases, some diseases of the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver. In such cases the operation is impossible due to serious diseases. Then wearing a bandage is indicated. But it is important to understand that a bandage is a deterrent measure that does not cure a hernia, but only slows down its development.

The procedure of surgical treatment of a hernia consists in removing the hernial sac, setting the organs in the abdominal cavity and strengthening the weakened area of the abdominal wall. The operation usually lasts less than 1 hour, during which the doctor sets the fallen bowel loops, strengthens the muscle wall and sutures the wound.

The operation is performed laparoscopically without incisions. Due to this method there are practically no traces left after the operation, and the period of rehabilitation after it is very short. As a rule any discomfort disappears in a week after the operation.

To make an appointment for a surgeon’s consultation at the «Oxford Medical» Clinic, call us or fill in the form on the website.