Direct inguinal hernia is a condition that occurs in the inguinal canal directly through a gap or defect in the transversalis fascia. The following article will cover more details related to this type of hernia that will help you understand the condition better.
Hernia is a condition that occurs when contents of the abdominal cavity bulge out of the area where they are normally placed. These abdominal contents usually include abdominal fatty tissue, part of intestines, etc. These organs are usually contained within the abdominal cavity with the help of thin membranes.
Hernias can be either asymptomatic or lead to mild to severe pain. It is not normal to have abdominal contents bulging out as it may lead to pressure on the blood vessels and constriction causing strangulation of the organ. Once the blood supply is cut off, it becomes a medical emergency and the blood and oxygen supply has to be restored as soon as possible. There are different types of hernias like inguinal hernia, femoral hernia, umbilical hernia, etc. Inguinal hernia is further divided into direct and indirect inguinal hernia.
What is Direct Inguinal Hernia
This is a type of hernia that enters a weak point in the fascia of the abdominal wall. The hernia protrudes through the transversalis fascia near the medial inguinal fossa. This occurs in the area called the inguinal or the Hesselbach’s triangle. The edge of rectus abdominis muscle, inguinal ligament and the inferior epigastric artery form the inguinal area.
These hernias cannot move into the scrotum like the indirect inguinal ones. These hernias are same in men as well as women. However, men are 10 times more likely to develop inguinal hernias. It usually occurs in middle aged and elderly people whose abdominal walls have weakened with age. It is also common in overweight people.
Causes
There one or more factors that can apply pressure on the abdominal muscles leading to an inguinal hernia. These factors include –
- Sudden muscle strain, twists or a pull
- Straining in the toilet due to severe constipation
- Excessive weight gain
- Chronic coughing
- Lifting heavy objects
Symptoms
The symptoms of inguinal hernia include a bulge in the groin area. The bulge becomes more prominent while coughing, straining and standing up. This bulge may appear on either one or both sides of the groin. This bulge may increase in size and will disappear when lying down. In men, it appears as a swollen or enlarged scrotum. It causes sharp pain and discomfort in the groin. This pain usually occurs when straining oneself, lifting objects and while exercising. Rest helps in alleviating the pain. One may even feel a burning, gurgling or aching feeling at the site of the hernia.
Treatment
The treatment usually involves surgery. Factors such as size of the hernia, the technique used and age and health of the patient decide the recovery time. There are two types of hernia surgeries, open hernia repair and laparoscopy. Open hernia repair is called herniorrhaphy or hernioplasty. In this, the patient is given general anesthesia and an incision is made in the groin. Then the hernia is moved into the abdomen and the muscle wall is reinforced with a synthetic mesh and screen.
In case of laparoscopy surgery, general anesthesia is given to the patient. Then a small incision is made in the lower abdomen and a thin tube called laparoscope is inserted into the incision. There is a small video camera attached to the end. The magnified images from within the body are sent to the monitor and the surgeon gets to view the hernia. Then he carefully repairs the hernia with a synthetic mesh.
Direct inguinal hernia is a condition that includes intra-abdominal fat or small intestine protruding through the weak area in the lower abdominal muscles. Surgery is the most common treatment for inguinal hernia. The inguinal hernia surgery recovery time is about 2 to 5 weeks. If one observes any kind of protrusion in the abdomen that causes discomfort and pain, one should immediately seek medical help. Hope the above information has been an informative read for you.
