Inguinal Hernia Surgery North Adelaide SA

4 facts about Inguinal Hernia

As a general and colorectal surgeon, Dr. Shanthan Ganesh has the expertise and on-site capabilities to offer many different treatment options to patients from across the North Adelaide, South Australia area. As such, several surgical techniques and approaches may be used to treat inguinal hernia.

 We are pleased to provide you with four facts about this type of hernia and why prompt surgery at our specialty centre may be recommended:

 1 – Inguinal hernia 101

Hernias are bulges that occur when tissue from a body cavity places pressure and pushes through an opening in the muscle wall into another body cavity. “Inguinal” refers to the “groin.” So, inguinal hernias look and feel like a noticeable bulge on one side of your pelvic bone. They occur as the abdominal tissue pushes through an opening in the lower abdominal wall that separates the abdomen from the groin. While not the only type of groin hernia, inguinal hernias are the most common.

 2 – Why they occur

Inguinal hernias may develop due to openings or weaknesses that are congenital or present at birth. You may also develop a weak spot after an abdominal surgery. Inguinal hernia may be acquired due to chronic straining, coughing, sneezing, years of vigorous exercise, manual labour, and pregnancy. Chronic obesity is also a risk factor due to the resulting intrabdominal pressure.

 3 – The importance of treatment

This is a condition that does not get better on its own with changes to your diet, exercise, and other modifications to risk factors. Typically, associated pain, pressure, burning, pinching, and other symptoms will only get worse without treatment. We may still take a wait-and-see approach as long as the hernias are small and asymptomatic, but eventually most inguinal hernias will cause symptoms. Children and women are also at a higher risk of serious complications; for instance, women with inguinal hernias tend to also have femoral hernias, 50% of which will require emergency surgery. These hernias are also largely associated with complications such as incarceration, small bowel obstruction, and strangulation – a medical emergency.

4 – Hernia repair

Surgical techniques generally involve moving the hernia contents back into the abdominal cavity and closing the gap. The weak spot may also be reinforced with synthetic mesh or tissue taken from another part of your body. At the office of Dr. Shanthan Ganesh, we are dedicated to the use of the most subtle techniques whenever possible and as appropriate. And, in most cases, hernia repairs can be managed with minimally invasive methods. Only the most complicated hernias may require open or conventional surgical techniques. Laparoscopy is performed using several very small incisions. The hernia is repaired through these tiny openings using very precise instrumentation. This approach supports shorter, easier recoveries and fewer risks of complications.

To request an appointment, contact our team at 08 81646727 today.

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