If you or someone you care about has a hernia, you may now want to understand as much as possible what is a hernia, how it is treated, and how you can recover from hernia surgery.
Typically, a hernia is simply the development of a weakness in a major muscle wall in the upper body, such as the groin or the abdomen. Weakness occurs at the natural seams that “sew” the different muscle sections of our body together. When an inguinal hernia occurs, the weakness can create a space through which internal tissues and / or organs can “leak” through this muscle wall.
A hernia can be painful, but it doesn’t have to be. Many types of hernias do not require immediate medical attention. However, when the protruding organs are “strangled” – which disrupts the supply of blood and oxygen from the tissues – the situation must be taken very seriously. requires immediate surgery.
Most doctors agree that even non-strangulated hernias may require medical treatment. Most hernias are corrected surgically.
What is an umbilical hernia?
There are many types of hernias. A common variety is the umbilical hernia. This type includes a weakness in the abdominal cavity, which allows a sack to form in the inner wall of the abdomen.
This type of hernia is quite common and the disease can occur in newborns, children, or adults. These hernias are most common in overweight people and women who have recently been pregnant.
If left untreated, umbilical hernias often become larger. In a baby with an umbilical hernia, crying can cause it to swell more due to the pressure it causes.
Surgical help for an umbilical hernia – 5 steps to repair
Untreated umbilical hernias can pose a risk to the patient. For example, if the protruding tissue is imprisoned (or trapped), this can result in the supply of blood and oxygen to this area being interrupted (strangulation).
Umbilical hernias are usually not operated on in infants. The hernia usually shrinks and closes by itself when the child turns 3. Surgery is often required in adults whose umbilical hernia becomes painful, bulges, or turns dark blue.
Here are the 5 main steps most surgeons take to correct an umbilical hernia:
- The procedure begins with general anesthesia:
Of course, as with any major surgery, the patient is given general anesthesia. A small inguinal hernia can be a spine or an epidural block. As a result, the patient does not feel pain during the operation.
- The surgeon makes a surgical incision in the navel:
The surgeon then makes an incision in the navel. The incision is used to access the hernia itself from the outside.
- Tissues are pushed back into the body cavity:
Then the protruding tissues or organs are pushed back into the body. If the operation is performed correctly, the tissue should never protrude through this area again.