How serious is an internal hernia?

According to various investigators, internal hernias cause up to 5,8% of all small bowel obstruction (SBO) (3, 24-27), with a high overall mortality rate that can exceed 50% (26). The most common manifestation of an internal hernia is strangulating SBO, that occurs after a closed-loop obstruction (2, 11, 28, 29).


What happens if you have an internal hernia?

In mild cases, individuals may not have any symptoms at all. In more severe cases, an individual may experience mild abdominal discomfort or severe abdominal pain. Individuals may also experience vomiting, nausea, constipation, and abdominal tenderness.

Is an internal hernia an emergency?

Conclusion: Internal hernia is a rare but lethal condition. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention provide the only chance of a successful outcome.


Can you live with an internal hernia?

Absolutely Yes! If your hernia is not causing pain or discomfort – it is possible to live with your hernia. One must remember that there is a risk of an emergency (incarceration or strangulation) from any hernia. A painless hernia typically (but not always) will start causing discomfort prior to an emergency.

How do they fix internal hernia?

A thin, lighted scope called a laparoscope is inserted through the incision. The instruments to repair the hernia are inserted through other small incisions in the lower abdomen. The procedure involves reduction of the incarcerated bowel and closure of the defect. Any non-viable bowel must be resected.


Primer on Internal hernias - Dr. Victor Sai



How common are internal hernias?

Internal hernias are rare. They are found in 0.2% to 0.9% of autopsies, but a substantial proportion of these remain asymptomatic. About 4% of bowel obstructions are caused by internal hernias. Internal hernias occur most often in adults.

What does a internal hernia feel like?

A bulge in the area on either side of your pubic bone, which becomes more obvious when you're upright, especially if you cough or strain. A burning or aching sensation at the bulge. Pain or discomfort in your groin, especially when bending over, coughing or lifting. A heavy or dragging sensation in your groin.

How painful is an internal hernia?

Inguinal hernias can cauase significant discomfort, and may also be associated with an aching or burning feeling in the area of the bulge. You may also experience a sensation of dragging, pressure, or weakness in the groin.


What causes internal hernias?

Among adults the main causes of internal hernias are previous gastrointestinal surgery, abdominal trauma or intraperitoneal inflammation.

How long does an internal hernia surgery take?

The operation usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete and you'll usually be able to go home on the same day. Some people stay in hospital overnight if they have other medical problems or live on their own.

Can an internal hernia be seen on CT scan?

Cross-sectional CT scans can show hernias and the contents of the peritoneal sac. More important, CT findings can be used to diagnose unsuspected hernias and to distinguish hernias from masses of the abdominal wall, such as tumors, hematomas, abscesses, undescended testes, and aneurysms.


Does hernia require a hospital stay?

Most routine hernia operations take about 30 to 90 minutes depending on the type and size of hernia. After surgery, patients spend about 1-2 hours in the recovery room before leaving the hospital to continue recovering from the comfort of their homes.

When does hernia surgery become urgent?

Is my hernia a medical emergency? Hernias become a medical emergency if the intestine—or esophagus, in the case of hiatal hernias—becomes trapped or incarcerated, cutting off its own blood supply.

Can you live with a hernia and not have surgery?

Hernias don't go away on their own. Only surgery can repair a hernia. Many people are able to delay surgery for months or even years. And some people may never need surgery for a small hernia.


How long can a hernia be left untreated?

How Long Can You Last? Hernias will not go away on their own. If ignored or left untreated, they will only grow bigger and more painful. It's best to take care of the hernia within the first six hours of recognizing a problem or noticing a lump.

What happens if you have a hernia for too long?

If hernia is left untreated, the size of protruding intestine might get bigger and become strangulated leading to the reduction of blood flow to surrounding tissue.

What is an internal hernia called?

Internal Hernia is essentially a defect or a hole. This defect internal hernia can be in the abdominal wall, diaphragm or pelvic wall which are called abdominal wall hernia, diaphragmatic hernia, or pelvic wall hernia, respectively.


What is another name for internal hernia?

The term “transomental hernia” usually refers to herniation, most commonly of small bowel loops, cecum and sigmoid colon, through or into a congenital or acquired abnormal defect of the greater omentum from 2 to 10 cm in diameter involving both leaves (four peritoneal layers) and located in the periphery near the free ...

Is hernia surgery a major surgery?

Conventional repair

Open hernia repair is a major surgery that's performed with the aid of general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation. It's done through one or two standard-sized incisions (three to six inches in length) that allow the surgeon to fully visualize and access the problematic area.

How do I know if my hernia needs surgery?

You may have a hernia if you have swelling and a bulge that is able to be “pushed back” into your abdomen. If it continues to grow, you will need to have hernia surgery in order to repair it.
...
Symptoms include:
  1. Nausea.
  2. Vomiting.
  3. Fever.
  4. Intensifying pain.
  5. A bulge that turns red or purple.


When is a hernia an emergency?

Hernia emergencies

Symptoms of a hernia emergency include: Severe pain that typically comes on quickly. Swelling and redness at the hernia site. Burning sensation at the hernia site.

Will a hernia show up on an ultrasound?

An ultrasound uses sound waves to generate images of your pelvic area and abdomen. In women, ultrasounds can help your doctor rule out other causes of pain, such as ovarian cysts or fibroids. In men, an ultrasound can help diagnose inguinal or scrotal hernias.

What flares up a hernia?

Persistent and intense pressure on the surrounding muscles, such as while coughing, vomiting, straining during a bowel movement, exercising or lifting heavy objects.


What kind of doctor do you see for a hernia?

What kind of doctor do you see for a hernia? When you have a hernia, treatment will start with your primary care provider. If you need surgery to repair the hernia, you'll be referred to a general surgeon. In fact, ventral hernia repairs are one of the most common operations U.S. general surgeons perform.

Where is an internal hernia located?

Internal hernias involve protrusion of the viscera through the peritoneum or mesentery and into a compartment in the abdominal cavity. The most common presentation is an acute intestinal obstruction of small bowel loops that develops through normal or abnormal apertures (,1,,2).