Inguinal Hernia
How common are Inguinal Hernias?
Inguinal hernias are the most common of all the abdominal wall hernias and can occur at any age, from infancy to old age. Due to the anatomical differences, inguinal hernias will develop in over 25% of people assigned-male-at-birth (AMAB) at some time throughout their life. Inguinal hernias are less common in people assigned-female-at-birth (AFAB) and will affect around 3% throughout their life. Up to 5% of children will be diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, most commonly in the newborn and infancy period.
Why did I get an Inguinal Hernia?
The most common risk factors for developing an inguinal hernia are male gender at birth and increasing age. Other risks are related to conditions and activities that increase the pressure within your abdomen. These include:
- Heavy lifting and straining
- Increased abdominal weight/obesity
- Persistent cough or straining
- Pregnancy
How do I know if I have an Inguinal Hernia?
The most common symptom is the presence of a bulge or lump in your groin. The lump may go away when you push it or lie flat/sleep and may protrude again when you stand, cough, sneeze or strain. It may or may not be tender or painful. Sometimes pain or a burning sensation may be the main symptom, however these symptoms may also indicate another problem.
Symptoms of increasing pain, swelling and your hernia no longer going away when you push it in or lie down may suggest that you have a complication of your hernia where the bowel in your hernia may be blocked (called an obstructed or incarcerated hernia) or the blood supply is cut off (called a strangulated hernia). If you notice these changes please contact your surgeon or seek urgent emergency care.
How do you fix an Inguinal Hernia?
The only way to fix an inguinal hernia is with an operation. There are two
common types of operations to repair an inguinal hernia in adults. The most common operation with modern surgical techniques is a minimally invasive or key-hole operation. This is most commonly done as a laparoscopic procedure, but can now be done with surgical robotic operating techniques as well. In both cases you will have a few small incisions where a telescope and instruments are inserted through small ports (usually 5-15 mm wide). The camera attached to the telescope allows your surgeon to see inside and to identify and fix your hernia. Sometimes a key-hole hernia operation may not be the best way to fix your hernia and a standard open operation through a larger incision may be warranted.
In both situations a surgical mesh is commonly used. This is a standard part of either operation and all the research shows that mesh-hernia repairs significantly decrease the risk that the hernia will return.
During your consultation, once it is determined you have an inguinal hernia that needs an operation to fix it your Surgeon will discuss the operation they recommend for your hernia. The discussion should include details of the operation and what the expected outcome is for you, as well as the risks of the operation, the after-care and answering any questions you may have.
Watchful Waiting
For some patients an operation may not be recommended or preferred straight away. This can be for many reasons and they will be discussed with you during your consultation. In this situation we often recommend close monitoring, or Watchful Waiting, where we will follow you over time to see whether your hernia symptoms change so that if your situation changes, we can recommend appropriate surgical care without undue delay.
