Get an Appointment with best hernia specialist Dr. Samir Contractor.
Doctors perform both open and laparoscopic hernia repair based on what is best for the patient.
A hernia refers to tissue or an organ from one body cavity moving into another space where it should not usually be. In most cases, hernias are related to defects of the abdominal wall or diaphragm. The given medical “name” is based on the location and nature of the hernia. A hernia is not something that is removed. In hernia surgery, we repair the weak area. For example, a punctured bicycle tire can be repaired in several ways. The tire puncture could be glued primarily, a patch placed over the opening or perhaps below the opening. Regardless of technique, the problem area remains; it is not removed. A hernia does not get better over time, nor will it go away.
An anal fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between the anal canal or rectum and the skin near the anus. Most anal fistulas result from an infection that starts in an anal gland. The infection forms an abscess that drains on its own or surgically through the skin next to the anus. This drainage tunnel remains open and connects the infected anal gland or the anal canal to a hole in the outer skin around the anus.
For some, hernias are a source of chronic pain and discomfort. Others find the hernia disfiguring or unsightly. It is not uncommon for patients to report to me that they feel uncomfortable wearing specific clothing because they fear that the hernia will make them appear pregnant or misshapen. Hernias generally enlarge over time and become more symptomatic.
Symptoms are usually related to the hernia’s location and what is protruding from it.Although relatively rare, bowel obstruction remains one of the most common indications for emergency hernia surgery. When an organ, typically the bowel, is trapped for some time, blood flow can be reduced.
Subsequently, gangrene and perforation can occur. The end result is an overwhelming, life-threatening infection.The majority of hernias do not result in a life-threatening emergency. However, if you have an inguinal hernia, your doctor should check it out.
The most obvious, but not always the most common, way patients recognise an inguinal hernia is the perception of a “bump” or “lump” in the affected area. The mass may be noticed while showering, exercising, or dressing.
Pain or discomfort is the most common symptom first noticed by patients presenting to my office for a hernia.
Most inguinal hernias occur in men, and a small percentage of women develop inguinal hernias. The reason for the much higher prevalence in men relates to significant anatomical and embryologic differences. They are of 2 types, direct & indirect.
When women develop inguinal hernias, it is almost always of the indirect variety.
The formation mechanism is different, but the end result is the same lining sliding alongside a uterine ligament that traverses the inguinal canal and anchors into the pubic bone. Another factor contributing to a higher male prevalence is significant differences in boney pelvis anatomy between sexes. The inguinal floor in males is generally broader and subjected to internal forces at higher pressures. This promotes gradual weakening of the floor and eventual eventration or bowing outward of the muscular floor. This type of hernia has been referred to as a direct inguinal hernia. This type of inguinal hernia is thought to develop due to “wear and tear”.
