Speaking of bulges....This week we are going to shift gears a little and talk about some General surgery. When we look at the abdomen and see something bulging, it usually means there is a hernia present. Hernias are a very common problem. Many people are born with them. The most common places for this type of hernia is in the groin area (usually in men) or in the belly button or umbilicus. These areas are where natural weaknesses are present from either the umbilical chord or where the testicles descend. Other hernias that can form present themselves in the mid line of the abdomen or more commonly in incisions from other surgeries.
What exactly is a hernia?? Our abdominal wall is composed of layers of muscle and connective tissue. The connective tissue looks like a thin tendon. All of us who have cut up meat or a chicken have noticed the shiney layer of whitish, tough tissue that surrounds the muscles....this is connective tissue or fascia. Pound for pound it is very tough and it is responsible for holding in the contents of the abdomen and gives the muscles something to pull on when they contract. A hernia occurs when there is a hole created in this layer and contents of the abdomen poke through that hole. The mid line of the abdomen (especially the belly button) and the groins are the weakest areas and therefore are the most common sites for naturally occuring hernias. Here is a picture of an inguinal hernia...
Here is a photo of what the hole looks like from the inside using a laparoscope and as you can see, with the contents removed, there is an actual hole.
Hernias become a problem when things get stuck in them...things like intestines, fatty tissue, and other contents of the abdomen. They can also cause discomfort due to stretching of the wall of the abdomen with straining to lift, urinate, or have a bowel movement. Things can also become stuck, lose blood supply and die within the hernia. Small hernias may never cause a problem. These are the common hernias of the abdominal wall. I won't cover the more obscure ones due to time and the others are fairly uncommon.
How do I fix them?? Today I usually fix them with laparoscopy. This allows me to repair them with mesh that incorporates into the surrounding tissue creating a strong patch. It also cuts down on incision size, wound infections, recovery time (minimally) and I think leads to a better repair because I can see the defect or hole better. The mesh is placed with a great deal of overlap and tacked in place. Meshes have small holes in them into which our bodies incorporate scar tissue making them very strong....like chain link fence on grass, the collagen holds them mesh in place making it very hard to move. Recovery times are usually about 6-8 weeks allowing the mesh to scar in.
So, if you have a hernia, come see us at Total Body Surgical where we not only do Cosmetic surgery and Vein surgery but are professionals at General Surgery too!!
Don't forget our specials and friend us on Face Book PLEASE!!