Table Of Contents
- What is Femoral Hernia?
- What are the causes of Femoral Hernia?
- What are the symptoms of Femoral Hernia?
- How does a doctor diagnose Femoral Hernia?
- What are the treatment methods for Femoral Hernia?
What is Femoral Hernia?
Your muscles have immense power to hold your intestines and vital organs in their respective places. However, when you overstrain your body, your intra- abdominal tissues may be pushed through a vulnerable region in your muscle. A femoral hernia is where a piece of tissue bursts through the femoral canal’s wall. A protrusion near the pelvis or thigh indicates a femoral hernia. The femoral artery, minor veins, and nerves are all housed in the femoral canal. In the pelvis, it’s right below the inguinal ligament.
A femoral hernia occurs more commonly in women. Inguinal hernias account for most groin hernias, with femoral hernias accounting for less than 3% of all hernias. The majority of femoral hernias are asymptomatic. However, if the hernia obstructs and prevents blood flow to your intestines, it might cause serious issues. A strangulated hernia is an emergency and should be fixed immediately through surgery.
What are the causes of Femoral Hernia?
Most of the time, the actual cause of femoral and other hernias remains unknown. For example, a weakened portion of the femoral canal may be present at birth, or it may weaken over time.
The weakening of the muscular walls can be aggravated by overexertion. Overstrain can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Childbirth
- Chronic constipation
- Heavy lifting
- Coughing for a long time
- Having trouble urinating due to enlarged prostate
What are the symptoms of Femoral Hernia?
Hernias that are small or moderate in size normally do not cause any symptoms. In many cases, a minor femoral hernia bulge is not visible.
Larger hernias are more obvious and might be painful. For example, a protrusion in the groin area around your upper thigh may be evident. When you lift heavy objects or strain in any manner, the bulge may worsen and produce pain. Femoral hernias are often seen near the hip bone and can cause hip pain.
How does a doctor diagnose Femoral Hernia?
To diagnose if you have a femoral hernia, your doctor will conduct a physical examination by gently touching the area. You can feel the bulge if the hernia is prominent.
An ultrasound of the abdominal and groin area will determine if there is a high suspicion of a femoral hernia but no bulge upon physical examination. The defect in the muscular wall and the projecting tissue can be seen using imaging equipment.
What are the treatment methods for Femoral Hernia?
Small, asymptomatic femoral hernias may not need hospital treatment. However, your doctor may keep an eye on your condition to see if your symptoms improve. Surgical treatment is necessary for moderate to large femoral hernias, especially if they are causing any discomfort.
General anesthesia is used for surgical hernia repair. This means you won’t experience any discomfort during the surgery because you’ll be asleep. You can choose open surgery or laparoscopic procedure to treat a femoral hernia. An open surgery necessitates a longer recovery time and a larger incision. Three to four keyhole-sized incisions are used in laparoscopic surgery to reduce blood loss. A variety of factors influence the type of operation performed, including:
- Surgeon’s experience
- Recovery time
- Hernia size and any probable complications
- Cost
Laparoscopic surgery, for example, is less painful and leaves smaller scars than open surgery, and it takes less time to heal. It is, nevertheless, a more costly operation than open surgery.
Your surgeon will create incisions in your groin area to reach the hernia. The tissue protruding from the femoral region is pushed back into its place. The surgeon will suture the incision back together and may use mesh to reinforce it. The mesh supports the canal’s wall. Some techniques, such as “tension-free repairs,” are minimally invasive and do not require general anesthesia.
To summarize
In most cases, femoral hernias are not life-threatening medical issues.
Strangulation of the hernia, on the other hand, can be life-threatening and requires emergency surgery. But the bowel only survives for 8 to 12 hours after strangulation. So it’s critical to get medical help if you’re experiencing symptoms. The surgery itself is extremely risk-free. Within two weeks, most people can resume mild activities. Within six weeks, most people are back to continue their daily activities.
A femoral hernia has an extremely low recurrence rate.
