The term "inguinal hernia" refers to a pathological condition in which there is a protrusion of the peritoneum into the cavity of the zone located in the lower abdomen between the thighs. In most cases, the disease is diagnosed in men. According to statistics, 97% of patients are representatives of the stronger sex. The presence of a bulge in the groin area is a great danger. If it is found, you should immediately consult a doctor. He will conduct diagnostic measures and draw up the most effective treatment regimen. Most cases require surgery.
Development mechanism
In the body of every person there is an inguinal canal. This is a specific formation, which is a gap, the length of which does not exceed 4.5 cm. It begins in the abdominal cavity and ends in the groin. It is through this gap thatprotrusion of organs.
Inguinal hernia can be both congenital and acquired. In these cases, the mechanism of its development is different.
If the intrauterine development of the child is normal, at 9 months the boy's testicles descend into the scrotum. Initially, their formation took place in the abdomen, then they moved along the inguinal canal. Normally, the so-called pocket, which maintains a message with the abdominal cavity, gradually overgrows after the birth of a child.
In some cases this does not happen. As a result, the hole, which is the communication between the scrotum and the abdomen, remains open. With an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, internal organs can fall into it (in most cases, intestinal loops). In girls, the mechanism for the development of the disease is similar, the difference is that the uterus descends, which is also initially located higher. The consequences of an inguinal hernia in men and women are extremely dangerous. In this regard, a child who has a birth defect should be regularly examined by a specialist.
Acquired inguinal hernia occurs under the influence of certain provoking factors, as a result of which there is a weakening of the abdominal muscles. They are no longer able to hold the internal organs.
Thus, before an inguinal hernia forms, certain changes occur. In other words, the bulge is the result of a pathological process.
Reasons
Inguinal hernia is formed under the influence ofthe following triggers:
- Preterm pregnancy. If the process of delivery occurred earlier, some internal organs and the "pocket" itself did not complete the full cycle of its development. As a result, the latter remained open.
- Hereditary predisposition. If close relatives have been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, the likelihood of developing it is significantly increased.
- Weakness of the muscle tissue located in the abdominal wall.
- Overweight. With obesity, the abdominal organs experience an increased load.
- Different kinds of injuries of the inguinal zone. As a rule, after receiving them, there is a significant weakening of the ligaments and muscles.
- Dramatic weight loss. If there is no fat layer in the area of the inguinal canal, intestinal loops and other internal organs easily penetrate into empty volumes.
- A lifestyle that does not involve frequent physical activity. Against the background of hypodynamia, the muscles atrophy, become flabby. They cannot fully perform their functions, as a result of which the organs pass into the canal without resistance.
- Frequent and high-intensity exercise. Against the background of overstrain, the level of intra-abdominal pressure rises.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by frequent constipation.
- Chronic cough.
Thus, the disease can develop under the influence of many provoking factors. Information on how to treat an inguinal hernia should be provided by a physician, but each patient shouldunderstand that even surgery will not be the most effective if he does not make lifestyle adjustments.
Clinical picture
Symptomatics may occur shortly after birth or throughout life. The first signs of both congenital and acquired disease are similar. In most cases, a man discovers the bulge on his own. The degree of protrusion at the same time increases with coughing and physical exertion. On palpation, the formation is soft and elastic. Pain with inguinal hernia in men is also absent.
If you take a horizontal position, the bulge will decrease in size. If you press it with your fingers, it will very easily be set inward. At the same time, the hole through which the protrusion of the organs occurs is well felt.
Hernia is a rare cause of groin pain in men. As a rule, the disease is not accompanied by the occurrence of pronounced discomfort. In some cases, the hernia captures the bladder. In such situations, the cause of pain in the groin in men is dysuric disorders. If the caecum has got into the hernial sac, constipation, cramps and flatulence are disturbing. Sometimes there is an increase in the size of the scrotum.
If a bulge occurs, you must immediately contact the surgeon. Only a doctor knows how to treat an inguinal hernia. The main diagnostic measures are: examination, palpation, ultrasound, X-ray examination, irrigoscopy and cystoscopy. Based on the results, the doctor draws up the most effective treatment regimen and determines the method of conductingsurgery.
Conservative therapies
As a rule, they are ineffective. If the hernial sac is reduced, that is, there is no infringement, or there are contraindications for the operation, wearing a medical bandage is indicated. The size of the product is determined by the doctor. Bandages can be either single or double sided.
It is important for patients to understand that the use of this medical device does not cure inguinal hernia. This is only a means of preventing infringement and prolapse of the intestines and other organs into the hernial sac. You can completely get rid of the disease only by operational methods.
Surgery
There are currently no alternatives to such treatment. The operation is being carried out as planned. Exceptions are complications, for example, in the form of a strangulated hernia. In such situations, surgical intervention is carried out on an emergency basis. This is due to the fact that necrosis can form in the strangulated organ, which poses a danger not only to he alth, but also to the life of the patient. In addition, children under six months of age are also an indication for urgent surgery, since in this case most complications can be avoided.
Before removing an inguinal hernia in men, preparation is required. First of all, the patient must provide the doctor with information regarding the medications taken, chronic pathologies and allergies. A comprehensive examination is mandatory.
A few days before surgeryyou must stop drinking alcohol and smoking. The day before surgery, you need to follow a strict diet. Drink only pure still water.
In men, the removal of an inguinal hernia can be performed by an open or laparoscopic method. The technique of carrying out is selected by the doctor on an individual basis. An exception may be cases when the patient enters the hospital in an extremely serious condition. In such situations, as a rule, a traditional open-access hernia repair is performed.
Surgical intervention algorithm:
- An incision is made in the protrusion area. Tissue dissection is performed parallel to the ligament.
- The surgeon removes the hernial sac. After that, the doctor cuts it with a scalpel.
- Specialist examines the internal organs, assessing their condition.
- If pathologically altered tissues are found, they are also excised. He althy organs sink back into the abdominal cavity.
- The doctor sutures the inguinal canal. This is done using synthetic or proprietary fabrics.
- The specialist stitches and treats the resulting wound.
Traditional surgery is performed on he althy men who have not experienced inguinal hernia in the past. When contacting a private clinic, the patient has the right to choose the preferred method of intervention. But, judging by the reviews, the operation on an inguinal hernia in men in an open way is easily tolerated. In addition, its costlower than minimally invasive techniques.
Laparoscopic surgery is the most modern way to get rid of the disease. It does not require significant tissue dissection. It is enough for the doctor to make 2-3 incisions no more than 3 cm long. Then the surgeon places laparoscopic instruments into them.
During the operation, the doctor removes the hernia and reduces the size of the hole through which the protrusion of the internal organs occurs. Then the defect in the abdominal cavity is sutured.
According to reviews, laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery causes more positive emotions in men. This is due to the short rehabilitation period and the absence of pronounced scars.
These are the main methods of inguinal hernia removal. Less commonly, doctors resort to the following methods:
- Operation on Liechtenstein. It involves the installation of a mesh implant, the fixation of which is carried out behind the spermatic cord. The advantage of the method lies in the minimal risk of recurrence.
- Endoscopic hernioplasty. It implies the installation of the mesh extra- or preperitoneally.
- Obturation hernioplasty. During its implementation, the inguinal canal is not sutured. The doctor performs only obturation of the hernia ring with mesh.
The choice of a surgical intervention method can be influenced not only by the individual characteristics of the patient's he alth, but also by the cost of the operation. In public medical institutions, traditional hernia repair is usually carried out free of charge, but with an insurance policy. The average cost of inguinal hernia surgery in men is standardmethod in private clinics - 20 thousand rubles. Laparoscopic surgery is much more expensive. The cost of inguinal hernia surgery in men using this method is about 45-50 thousand rubles.
Features of the postoperative period
The disease most often develops against the background of a significant weakening of muscle tissue. In this regard, recovery after inguinal hernia surgery in men means strengthening them.
The duration of the rehabilitation period directly depends on how the excision was performed. As a rule, a patient after a traditional hernia repair needs to stay in the hospital for about a week. During this period, bed rest and diet are indicated. Any physical activity during recovery after an inguinal hernia (for both men and women) is unacceptable. After a few days, on the contrary, it is recommended to perform a simple set of exercises aimed at strengthening the muscle corset.
If synthetic threads were used during the operation, the sutures are removed on the 5-7th day. Up to this point, dressings are done every day. In the first few days, there may be severe pain. As a rule, they are a variant of the norm. To stop them, the doctor prescribes painkillers.
After removing an inguinal hernia in men, rehabilitation also involves wearing a bandage. The use of this medical device can significantly reduce the risk of relapses and complications. This is due to the fact that the bandage does not allow stretching.muscle tissue and significantly reduces the load on the peritoneum. The duration of use of the product is several days. It is especially useful in the early stages of recovery after surgery, when there is pain.
Surgical patients are on a special diet. In men, after an inguinal hernia, various intestinal disorders often occur. In this regard, it is necessary to adhere to the following principles in nutrition:
- The most recommended liquid food.
- All portions should be small.
- Food must be chewed thoroughly. The meal should take a long period of time.
- It is recommended to eat 4 times a day, making equal intervals between meals.
- The emphasis in the diet should be on protein foods. With their frequent use, the process of muscle recovery is accelerated. The menu must be present: chicken, turkey, fish, low-fat milk and cottage cheese, eggs.
- From the diet it is necessary to exclude foods that can provoke flatulence. These include: confectionery, kefir, pastries, yoghurts and fruits.
- It is allowed to drink pure non-carbonated water. Coffee, soda and alcohol are strictly prohibited.
Compliance with these recommendations will significantly speed up the recovery period.
Possible Complications
Any operation is an intervention in the human body, which may subsequently react unpredictably. This also applies to the groin.hernias in men. Complications after surgery are not uncommon. But, as a rule, negative consequences are associated with human actions. For example, the doctor did not bandage the wound, or the patient immediately began to subject the body to stress.
The most common complications are:
- Suppuration of the seam. Accompanied by severe pain and an increase in local body temperature.
- Relapse. An inguinal hernia may reappear if the patient has violated the doctor's instructions. Most often, relapses occur when diet is not followed, smoking and as a result of physical exertion. Less commonly, the cause is medical errors made during surgery.
- Hematomas. When they occur, cold compresses and pressure bandages are indicated.
- Injury to nerves, vessels or spermatic cord. Such complications are associated with medical error. As a result, the sensitivity of the skin in the groin area and sexual function may be impaired.
- Dropsy testis. It can be one- or two-sided.
- Thrombosis of the vessels of the legs.
- Intestinal dysfunction.
- Injury to the hip joint.
- Infectious diseases.
If the operation was performed by a qualified surgeon, the risk of complications is minimized.
Consequences of inguinal hernia in men
If you do not see a doctor in a timely manner, they are very sad. It is important to understand that discomfort and a pronounced aesthetic defect are not the most unpleasant consequences of an inguinal hernia in men. There are many complications that pose a threat not only to he alth, but also to the life of the patient.
Consequences of inguinal hernia in men:
- Inflammatory process. Acute appendicitis, colitis and diseases of the genital organs most often develop. The severity of symptoms in this case is purely individual. Some are able to carry out daily activities, while others suffer from pain, nausea and vomiting. In any case, you must immediately call an ambulance. This is due to the fact that an acute inflammatory process requires emergency surgical intervention.
- Formation of a fecal plug. Occurs when part of the large intestine enters the hernial sac. As feces accumulate in it, this area becomes impassable. As a result, there are disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract. In the absence of blood supply, tissue death (necrosis) may occur.
- Incarcerated hernia. This is a negative consequence, which, as a rule, develops at lightning speed. It is characterized by compression in the gates of the organs that enter the hernial sac. Immediately there is a violation of innervation and blood supply. According to statistics, 15% of inguinal hernias are infringed in the absence of timely treatment. The following signs are alarming: the bulge stops reducing, the formation becomes dense and tense, pronounced pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, fever.
Each of the above consequencesposes a threat to both he alth and life of the patient. In this regard, if you feel worse, you need to call an ambulance. In such situations, emergency surgery is indicated.
General advice to patients
If you find signs of an inguinal hernia, it is important to see a doctor immediately. Currently, only with the help of surgery it is possible to get rid of the disease. It is carried out as planned.
Patients who have already had an inguinal hernia removed should make lifestyle adjustments. High-intensity physical activity should be avoided and body weight should be controlled. In addition, it is recommended to follow the principles of a he althy diet. If there are signs of a relapse, you should also immediately contact a medical facility.
In closing
Inguinal hernia is a pathological condition in which organs protrude from the abdominal cavity into the area between the thighs in the lower abdomen. The disease does not always worsen the quality of life of a man, but the absence of pronounced pain does not exclude the need to seek medical help. Regarding what is dangerous inguinal hernia in men. Ignoring the problem leads to various negative consequences, including: inflammatory processes, infringement and fecal plugs. If such complications occur, emergency surgery is indicated.
