General Surgery

Femoral Hernia Repair Treatment

Femoral Hernia Repair

When an internal part of the patient’s body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or the surrounding tissue wall, results in the hernia. The individual’s muscles are generally tight and strong enough to keep the organs and intestines in its place, but a hernia can be developed if there are any weak spots.

Introduction

When an internal part of the patient’s body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or the surrounding tissue wall, results in the hernia. The individual’s muscles are generally tight and strong enough to keep the organs and intestines in its place, but a hernia can be developed if there are any weak spots.

What is Femoral Hernia Repair?

Femoral hernias are just another type of groin hernias, but they occur lower in the body as compared to that common inguinal hernia. Femoral hernias develop in the upper part of the thigh near the groin just below the inguinal ligament, where abdominal contents pass through a naturally occurring weakness called the femoral canal. Because of the high incidence of complications, femoral hernias generally require emergency surgery.

Causes of femoral hernia repair

A femoral hernia is being caused when internal tissues pushing through a weak point in the muscle wall, near the inner thigh or the groin area.

The exact cause may not be known to the doctors. Sometimes, the patients may have a structurally weak muscle wall in the area from birth.

Femoral hernias can also be caused by excess pressure or straining in the site due to:Page Image

  • Passing stool or urine
  • Being obese
  • Pushing or lifting heavy objects
  • Having a persistent, strong cough
  • Giving birth
  • Having an abnormal buildup of abdominal fluid or an ascites
  • Receiving treatment for kidney disease, or dialysis.

What are the risks involved?

Though the direct cause may not be known, some people are at higher risk as compared to the others.

Risk factors include:

Sex: Both male and female can develop a femoral hernia, but they occur in female approximately 10 times more the males. This is due to the fact that the female pelvis is wider than that of the male pelvis.

Age: Femoral hernias are more likely to occur in adults than in the children. If a child does develop one, it sometimes results from a medical condition, such as a connective tissue disorder.

Family history: People with a close family member who has a groin hernia have up to 8 times the risk of developing femoral hernia themselves.

Procedure

During the surgery for repairing of the hernia, the bulging tissues are pushed back in. The weakened area is strengthened or sewn closed. This repair can be done either with open or with the laparoscopic surgery.

In open surgery:

The patients may receive general anesthesia. The general anesthesia keeps the patients asleep and pain-free. Or, the patients may receive regional anesthesia, which numbs the patients from the waist to their feet. Or, the surgeon may choose to give the patients local anesthesia and medicine for relaxing them. The surgeon makes an incision in the patient’s groin site. The hernia is located and separated from the tissues surrounding it. Some of the extra hernia tissue may also be removed. The rest of the hernia contents are gently pushed back inside the patient’s abdomen. The surgeon then closes the patient’s weakened abdominal muscles with the help of the stitches. Generally, a piece of mesh is also sewn into place for strengthening the patient’s abdominal wall. This helps in repairing the weakness in the wall. After the repair is being done, the incisions are being stitched closed.

In laparoscopic surgery:

The surgeon makes three to five small incisions in the patient’s lower belly and groin. A medical instrument called a laparoscope, whose scope is thin, and has a lighted tube with a camera on it. The instrument is being inserted through one of the incisions. Laparoscope helps the surgeon to view the inside of the belly. Other tools are also being inserted through the other incisions. The surgeon uses these tools for repairing the hernia. The same repair will be performed as in the open surgery. After the repair has been performed, the scope and other tools will be removed. The incisions are being stitched closed.

Risks and Complications when undergoing femoral hernia repair surgery:

Surgery for femoral hernia repair is generally safe and complications are very rare. But, some of the complications may include:

Risk of general anesthesia: Before the surgery is being performed, the anesthesiologist (a doctor who administers anesthesia) reviews the risks of anesthesia and asks the patients about medical history and allergies to some certain medications. Complications are most likely to occur in older people and those, who have other medical conditions. Common complications include vomiting, urinary retention, sore throat, headache, and nausea. More serious problems include stroke, pneumonia, blood clots in the legs, and heart attack.

Hernia recurrence: A hernia can reoccur to the individual several years after repair. Recurrence is the most common complication of inguinal hernia repair, resulting in the second operation of the patients.

Bleeding: Bleeding inside the cut is yet another complication of inguinal hernia repair. It can result in bluish discoloration and severe swelling of the skin around the cut. Surgery may be required for opening the cut and thus stopping the bleeding.

Painful scar: Sometimes people experience tingling, sharp in a specific site near the cut after it has been healed. The pain generally resolves with the time. Medicine may be injected in the site if the pain continues to persist.

Injury to internal organs: Although this complication is very rare, injury to the intestine, kidneys, nerves bladder and blood vessels leading to the internal female organs, legs, and vas deferens (vas deferens is the tube that carries sperm) can occur during hernia surgery and may lead to more surgery.

How soon will I recover?

The patients recovering from a femoral hernia repair can usually go home the same day as the surgery is performed or the day after.

During recovery people will generally need to:

  • The patients can take pain medication to alleviate the discomfort.
  • Restrict the patient’s movements and activities for several days.
  • The patients must eat a healthful diet to prevent constipation and straining.
  • The patients must take care of the wound.

Recovery form femoral hernia repair can usually take up to 6 weeks, but most of the people return to light activities after rest of two weeks or so.

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