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Important Information Related To Ventral Hernias Houston Clients Need To Have

By Michael Davis


Upwards of 90,000 surgical operations are performed annually to correct various types of ventral hernias. These include epigastric, umbilical, inguinal and incisional types. These three defects are all located on the anterior abdominal wall in various regions due to a weakness that exist in the muscular layer of the region. If they intend on undergoing the corrective operation for ventral hernias Houston patients should understand a number of things beforehand.

The onset of these defects can be at any time. A significant number are seen at birth due to a congenital anatomical defect. Those that fall in this category are usually corrected during childhood. Some tend to resolve without treatment as the child continues to grow. Some follow conditions that weaken the abdominal muscles such as pregnancy and surgeries. Increase physical activity such as heavy lifting aggravates the problem.

Most, if not all ventral hernias, provide a route for intestines to protrude from their natural position. This poses a great danger due to the likelihood of the intestinal loops to be trapped into the hernia sac. This may lead to intestinal obstruction that requires surgery to be corrected. In some cases where the obstruction is severe, blood supply to the intestinal loops may be cut off causing them to lose viability.

The most obvious sign of these defects is a visible swelling in an area of the abdominal wall. This swelling is most prominent when there is an increase in abdominal pressure such as when one bears down or coughs. Pain is also a possible symptom but is not always present especially if there is a large defect. Other symptoms may include vomiting (when intestinal obstruction sets in) and constipation.

Apart from the suggestive symptoms, your doctor will have to conduct a physical examination. The examination will be centered on establishing characteristics such as location, size, contents and reducibility among others. Some doctors may also request for some investigations to confirm the diagnosis. Those that are commonly used include ultrasound scans and CT scans. Blood tests may be needed as well if a decision to have surgery is made.

There are several treatment options that are used once the diagnosis has been confirmed. If the defect is small and with a low risk of being obstructed it may be managed through watchful waiting unless the patient wants the operation. All other types should be operated. There are two main types of surgical techniques that can be used. They include laparoscopic surgery and the open surgical technique.

The open technique is where a surgical incision is made near the hernia pouch to gain access to the defect. Once it is opened, a mesh is fitted near the defect to block the defect. An alternative is to close the defect using permanent sutures. In the laparoscopic technique, an instrument known as a laparoscope is inserted into the abdominal cavity using three ports. The defect is accessed from the inside and repaired through suturing or meshing.

There is no drug that can be used to treat ventral hernia. Surgery is almost always a necessity if the problem is to be dealt with once and for all. The operation is usually straightforward in most cases. Possible risks include bleeding, injury to intestines and the bladder and infections. Fortunately, these complications are a rare occurrence. After surgery, most people can resume their normal routine within a few days.




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