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Inguinal Hernia

Medical Questions » Inguinal Hernia
Name: Inguinal Hernia
Also known as:
Occur only in men. The testicles develop inside the abdomen, and before birth they migrate down into the scrotum. Behind them as they move down, they leave a tube called the inguinal canal. Through this canal run the arteries, veins and nerves that supply the testicles, and the vas deferens (a duct that carries the sperm from the testicle to the base of the penis). Shortly before birth, the inguinal canal closes, leaving just enough room for the vital supplies to pass to and from the testes. The inguinal canal remains a source of weakness in the strong muscle wall of the abdomen, and it may tear open again, allowing some of the gut to protrude under the skin of the groin as a hernia.
Causes of Inguinal Hernia
Excess pressure on the lower part of the belly by heavy lifting, prolonged coughing or some other form of strain. Men who are overweight and have their muscles weakened by fat deposits are more likely to develop this type of hernia, and the slackening of muscle tone with advancing age can also lead to a rupture. There is also an hereditary tendency, so that if your father had a hernia, your chances of developing one are increased. In some little boys, the tube does not close properly, and this allows a small amount of fat or intestine to move down the tube from the inside of the abdomen, to form a hernia just under the skin beside the penis.
Symptoms of Inguinal Hernia
A small lump in the groin that may be only mildly annoying after exercise, or may become intermittently painful.
Tests for Inguinal Hernia
Normally none necessary, but in fat men an ultrasound scan may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment for Inguinal Hernia
Surgical repair of the hernia as an elective procedure.
Complications of Inguinal Hernia of its treatment
Occasionally the gut inside the hernia may become strangled in the inguinal canal, causing severe pain and the trapped section of gut becomes gangrenous. This requires urgent surgery.
Likely Outcome of Inguinal Hernia
Up to 20% of repaired inguinal hernias will recur. A tight sensation in the groin, that may be occasionally painful, may follow the surgery.
       
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