DOCSLIB.ORG

A Diagnostic Challenge Harold Ellis Surgical Unit, Westminster Hospital, London SWI, UK

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Diagnostic Challenge Harold Ellis Surgical Unit, Westminster Hospital, London SWI, UK Postgraduate Medical Journal (1986) 62, 325-327 Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.62.727.325 on 1 May 1986. Downloaded from Leading Article Diaphragmatic hernia - a diagnostic challenge Harold Ellis Surgical Unit, Westminster Hospital, London SWI, UK. Introduction Clinical syndromes and their aetiology Hernias through the diaphragm are a fascinating The great majority ofsliding hiatus hernias are entirely group ofconditions - some extremely common, others symptomless. This important statement cannot be exquisitely rare - whose wide spectrum of clinical over-emphasized. It has already been noted that more manifestations, diagnostic difficulties and problems of than half the elderly population in the Western world treatment render them of great interest to gastroen- would have some degree of hiatus hernia if submitted terological physicians, radiologists, endoscopists, clin- to a barium meal examination. It is a serious mistake ical physiologists and surgeons, as well as to the to attribute symptoms such as chest pain, epigastric general practitioner. discomfort, dysphagia etc. to a sliding hiatus hernia demonstrated radiologically without excluding other causes - functional as well as organic. Classification Reflux oesophagitis, which is the cause ofthe heart- burn especially associated with bending and lying, is The commonest situation is when the cardia slides due not so much to the hernia as to incompetence of through the oesophageal hiatus into the mediastinum the sphincter at the oesophago-gastric junction. This (the sliding hernia); less commonly, the gastro-oeso- sphincter is a physiological barrier which can be copyright. phageal junction remains in its correct position with demonstrated by manometric measurements, which the gastric fundus rolling alongside it through the reveal the existence of a zone of high pressure whose hernia into the thoracic cavity (the rolling or para- function is modified by nervous and hormonal stimuli. oesophageal hernia) while in some cases the two At this level there is no definite anatomical sphincter. conditions co-exist. A number of rare congenital It is true that 60 to 90% of patients with reflux oeso- hernias may occur; through the foramen ofMorgagni, phagitis have a concomitant hiatus hernia (Bombeck, situated anteriorly between the xiphoid and costal 1978) but reflux can occur in the presence ofan entirely origins of the diaphragm, through the foramen of normal hiatus. The physiopathology of reflux oeso- http://pmj.bmj.com/ Bochdalek, representing the embryological pleuro- phagitis is still only incompletely understood and may peritoneal canal, lying posteriorly in the diaphragm, be due to multiple and often complex causes, including and occasionally through a congenital deficiency of incompetence of the inferior oesophageal sphincter, the whole central tendon of the diaphragm. Rarely, incomplete oesophageal clearance, diminution in the trauma may rupture the diaphragm and this may lead mucosal defences ofthe oesophagus and the aggressive to a traumatic diaphragmatic hernia. nature ofthe refluxing material. It is important to note Hiatus hernia is extremely common in the Western that the size of the sliding hiatus hernia is also not world with a prevalence some 50 to 100 times greater related to the symptoms. The symptoms of reflux are on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected than exists in Africa and Asia. Although equally aggravated not only by posture but by obesity, distributed between the two sexes, symptomatic hiatus wearing tight garments, ingestion of alcohol or acid hernia is at least twice as frequent in the female. All foods; frank regurgitation of bitter gastric contents ages may be affected, but the incidence rises with each into the mouth may occur. decade until, in the elderly, it is present radiologically As inflammation becomes more severe, ulceration in some 60% of the population. of the lower oesophagus may occur with painful Reviews oflarge series ofcases show that the sliding dysphagia and there may be progression to fibrous hernia occurs in the order of 75% of cases, the para- stricturing of the lower oesophagus. Here, of course, oesophageal hernia in 20% and the mixed variety in the differential diagnosis must be made from other 5% (Hollender & Meyer, 1984). causes of dysphagia in adults - achalasia and, par- ticularly, carcinoma ofthe lower oesophagus or ofthe cardia; this is achieved by careful barium meal studies Correspondence: Professor H. Ellis, D.M., M.Ch., F.R.C.S. and by endoscopy with biopsy of the stricture. Received: 2 December 1985 Reflux oesophagitis as a cause of a frank gastroin- ) The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine, 1986 326 H. ELLIS Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.62.727.325 on 1 May 1986. Downloaded from testinal haemorrhage is rare and great caution should 1971). The volvulus may be acute, when it presents as be observed before attributing the one to the other an abdominal emergency with either obstruction or without carefully excluding other possible causes of actual strangulation of the stomach. Gangrene may the haemorrhage. occur but is uncommon because of the particularly The lack of correlation between the anatomical rich blood supply to the stomach. Much more com- defect ofthe sliding hiatus hernia and the symptoms of monly, the volvulus is chronic or recurrent and indeed reflux oesophagitis is well illustrated by the fact that may present as an incidental radiological finding on a today surgical correction ofthe defect concentrates on barium meal or chest X-ray. When symptoms occur, anti-reflux measures, such as the Nissen (1956) fundo- they are frequently those of mild, continuous or plication operation, since mere repair of the hiatus intermittent upper abdominal discomfort which may hernia itself so often proved unsatisfactory in the past be impossible to differentiate from a peptic ulcer or (Battle & Bombeck, 1973). cholecystitis. The patient may complain of distress or Unlike a sliding hiatus hernia, where the symptoms bloating during or shortly after meals, which may be are primarily the result of deranged physiology at the followed by retching or vomiting. Ifa good deal ofair oesophago-gastricjunction, the symptoms ofthe para- or fluid has been swallowed, the distended and volved oesophageal hernia result from its anatomy. The stomach may prevent belching of the air or vomiting herniated stomach passes through a markedly and the patient may simply bring up white frothy widened hiatus and lies in a peritoneal sac between the swallowed saliva. oesophagus behind and the pericardium in front. Most Acute volvulus presents a striking clinical picture patients, surprisingly, are asymptomatic, the diagnosis with severe epigastric pain and distension, vomiting only being made when a routine chest radiograph followed by violent retching with an inability to vomit demonstrates a large gas bubble in the mediastinum. and difficulty or inability to pass a nasogastric tube. Others present with vague discomfort after food, sub- There may be minimal abdominal signs when the sternal fullness, nausea, vomiting and sometimes volved stomach is in the chest but a gas filled viscus in dyspnoea due, presumably, to the presence of a large the lower chest or upper abdomen is shown by chest intra-thoracic 'space occupying lesion'. Symptoms of radiography, especially when associated with a para- reflux and regurgitation do not occur unless there is an oesophageal hiatus hernia. Carter and his colleagues associated gastro-oesophageal sphincter defect. (1980) give an important review of acute gastric copyright. Other symptoms are related to complications ofthe volvulus and found that gangrene occurred in seven of rolling hernia. Chronic blood loss with the develop- their 25 cases. Hooper & Lawson (1986) have recently ment ofa microcytic anaemia may occur due either to reported a unique case ofpulsus paradoxus associated an erosive gastritis as a result of venous stasis in the with a strangulated volvulus through a previous herniated portion of the stomach or, less commonly, traumatic tear of the diaphragm. to an ulcer at the neck of the hernia. Acute complica- When symptoms of recurrent volvulus are disa- tions include a massive haemorrhage due to this peptic bling, operative repair may be indicated. Acute http://pmj.bmj.com/ ulceration and, very exceptionally, perforation ofsuch volvulus can sometimes be reduced by the passage ofa an ulcer may occur into the mediastinum or into the nasogastric tube but more frequently a tube cannot be pleural or pericardial cavity (Monro et al., 1974). passed and immediate surgery is mandatory. The Strangulation of the herniated part of the stomach volvulus is reduced surgically if possible and if gastric with gangrene is an extremely rare complication (Hill, necrosis has taken place, local excision, sub-total 1973). gastrectomy or even total resection may be required. Gastric volvulus Traumatic hiatus hernia on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected An interesting but relatively unusual complication of Rupture of the diaphragm may follow penetrating or diaphragmatic hernia, usually of the rolling type but crush injuries but may also occur following heavy also complicating traumatic or congenital defects, is physical effort, sudden twisting movements, childbirth volvulus ofthe stomach (Ellis, 1984). In this condition, or a coughing fit (Bisgaard et al., 1985). These all volvulus occurs usually along a line from the pylorus probably cause a sudden increase in abdominal pres- to
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Umbilical Hernia with Cholelithiasis and Hiatal Hernia
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Springer - Publisher Connector Yamanaka et al. Surgical Case Reports (2015) 1:65 DOI 10.1186/s40792-015-0067-8 CASE REPORT Open Access Umbilical hernia with cholelithiasis and hiatal hernia: a clinical entity similar to Saint’striad Takahiro Yamanaka*, Tatsuya Miyazaki, Yuji Kumakura, Hiroaki Honjo, Keigo Hara, Takehiko Yokobori, Makoto Sakai, Makoto Sohda and Hiroyuki Kuwano Abstract We experienced two cases involving the simultaneous presence of cholelithiasis, hiatal hernia, and umbilical hernia. Both patients were female and overweight (body mass index of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2) and had a history of pregnancy and surgical treatment of cholelithiasis. Additionally, both patients had two of the three conditions of Saint’s triad. Based on analysis of the pathogenesis of these two cases, we consider that these four diseases (Saint’s triad and umbilical hernia) are associated with one another. Obesity is a common risk factor for both umbilical hernia and Saint’s triad. Female sex, older age, and a history of pregnancy are common risk factors for umbilical hernia and two of the three conditions of Saint’s triad. Thus, umbilical hernia may readily develop with Saint’s triad. Knowledge of this coincidence is important in the clinical setting. The concomitant occurrence of Saint’s triad and umbilical hernia may be another clinical “tetralogy.” Keywords: Saint’s triad; Cholelithiasis; Hiatal hernia; Umbilical hernia Background of our knowledge, no previous reports have described the Saint’s triad is characterized by the concomitant occur- coexistence of umbilical hernia with any of the three con- rence of cholelithiasis, hiatal hernia, and colonic diverticu- ditions of Saint’s triad.
    [Show full text]
  • Abdominal Pain - Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
    ACS/ASE Medical Student Core Curriculum Abdominal Pain - Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease ABDOMINAL PAIN - GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE Epidemiology and Pathophysiology Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most commonly encountered benign foregut disorders. Approximately 20-40% of adults in the United States experience chronic GERD symptoms, and these rates are rising rapidly. GERD is the most common gastrointestinal-related disorder that is managed in outpatient primary care clinics. GERD is defined as a condition which develops when stomach contents reflux into the esophagus causing bothersome symptoms and/or complications. Mechanical failure of the antireflux mechanism is considered the cause of GERD. Mechanical failure can be secondary to functional defects of the lower esophageal sphincter or anatomic defects that result from a hiatal or paraesophageal hernia. These defects can include widening of the diaphragmatic hiatus, disturbance of the angle of His, loss of the gastroesophageal flap valve, displacement of lower esophageal sphincter into the chest, and/or failure of the phrenoesophageal membrane. Symptoms, however, can be accentuated by a variety of factors including dietary habits, eating behaviors, obesity, pregnancy, medications, delayed gastric emptying, altered esophageal mucosal resistance, and/or impaired esophageal clearance. Signs and Symptoms Typical GERD symptoms include heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, excessive eructation, and epigastric pain. Patients can also present with extra-esophageal symptoms including cough, hoarse voice, sore throat, and/or globus. GERD can present with a wide spectrum of disease severity ranging from mild, intermittent symptoms to severe, daily symptoms with associated esophageal and/or airway damage. For example, severe GERD can contribute to shortness of breath, worsening asthma, and/or recurrent aspiration pneumonia.
    [Show full text]
  • SAS Journal of Surgery Rare Complication of a Hernia in The
    SAS Journal of Surgery Abbreviated Key Title: SAS J Surg ISSN 2454-5104 Journal homepage: https://www.saspublishers.com/sasjs/ Rare Complication of a Hernia in the Linea Alba: Generalized Peritonitis Due to Perforation by a Chicken Bone Incarcerated in the Hernia Anas Belhaj*, Mohamed Fdil, Mourad Badri, Mohammed Lazrek, Younes Hamdouni Ahmed, Zerhouni, Tarik Souiki, Imane Toughraï, Karim Ibn Majdoub Hassani, Khalid Mazaz Visceral and Endocrinological Surgery Service II, Chu Hassan II, Fes, Morocco DOI: 10.36347/sasjs.2020.v06i03.016 | Received: 05.03.2020 | Accepted: 13.03.2020 | Published: 23.03.2020 *Corresponding author: Anas Belhaj Abstract Case Report Small intestine perforation by a foreign body is a rare cause of secondary peritonitis. We report the case of peritonitis due to an exceptional mechanism; a small perforation by incarceration of a bony flap in the small bowel due to the existence of a hernia of the white line. Keywords: Peritonitis, white line hernia, fragment of bone, incarceration. Copyright @ 2020: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial use (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the original author and source are credited. NTRODUCTION I Patient was conscious, with a temperature at Acute peritonitis is the acute inflammation of 38.8 ° C, a pulse at 120 bpm, accelerated breathing rate the peritoneal serosa. It can either be generalized to the at 22 cycles / min, and coldness of the extremities. The large peritoneal cavity, or localized, following a abdominal examination found a slight distension with bacterial or chemical peritoneal attack.
    [Show full text]
  • A Rare Case of Pancreatitis from Pancreatic Herniation
    Case Report J Med Cases. 2018;9(5):154-156 A Rare Case of Pancreatitis From Pancreatic Herniation David Doa, c, Steven Mudrocha, Patrick Chena, Rajan Prakashb, Padmini Krishnamurthyb Abstract nia sac, resulting in mediastinal abscess which was drained sur- gically. He had a prolonged post-operative recovery following Acute pancreatitis is a commonly encountered condition, and proper the surgery. In addition, he had a remote history of exploratory workup requires evaluation for underlying causes such as gallstones, laparotomy for a retroperitoneal bleed. He did not have history alcohol, hypertriglyceridemia, trauma, and medications. We present a of alcohol abuse. His past medical history was significant for case of pancreatitis due to a rare etiology: pancreatic herniation in the hypertension and osteoarthritis. context of a type IV hiatal hernia which involves displacement of the On examination, his vitals showed a heart rate of 106 stomach with other abdominal organs into the thoracic cavity. beats/min, blood pressure of 137/85 mm Hg, temperature of 37.2 °C, and respiratory rate of 20/min. Physical exam dem- Keywords: Pancreatitis; Herniation; Hiatal hernia onstrated left-upper quadrant tenderness without guarding or rebound tenderness, with normoactive bowel sounds. Lipase was elevated at 2,687 U/L (reference range: 73 - 383 U/L). His lipase with the first episode of abdominal pain had been 1,051 U/L. Hematocrit was 41.2% (reference range: 42-52%), Introduction white cell count was 7.1 t/mm (reference range 4.8 - 10.8 t/ mm) and creatinine was 1.0 mg/dL (references range: 0.5 - 1.4 Acute pancreatitis is a commonly encountered condition with mg/dL).
    [Show full text]
  • What Is a Paraesophageal Hernia?
    JAMA PATIENT PAGE What Is a Paraesophageal Hernia? A paraesophageal hernia occurs when the lower part of the esophagus, the stomach, or other organs move up into the chest. The hiatus is an opening in the diaphragm (a muscle separating the chest from the abdomen) through which organs pass from the Paraesophageal or hiatal hernia The junction between the esophagus and the stomach (the gastroesophageal chest into the abdomen. The lower part of the esophagus and or GE junction) or other organs move from the abdomen into the chest. the stomach normally reside in the abdomen, just under the dia- phragm. The gastroesophageal (GE) junction is the area where Normal location of the esophagus, Type I hiatal hernia (sliding hernia) with the GE junction and stomach The GE junction slides through the the esophagus connects with the stomach and is usually located in the abdominal cavity diaphragmatic hiatus to an abnormal 1to2inchesbelowthediaphragm.Ahiatalorparaesophagealhernia position in the chest. occurs when the GE junction, the stomach, or other abdominal or- Esophagus gans such as the small intestine, colon, or spleen move up into the GE junction chest where they do not belong. There are several types of para- Hiatus esophagealhernias.TypeIisahiatalherniaorslidinghernia,inwhich the GE junction moves above the diaphragm, leaving the stomach in D I A P H R A the abdomen; this represents 95% of all paraesophageal hernias. G M Types II, III, and IV occur when part or all of the stomach and some- S T O M A C H times other organs move up into the chest. Common Symptoms of Paraesophageal Hernia More than half of the population has a hiatal or paraesophageal Less common types of paraesophageal hernias are classified based on the extent hernia.
    [Show full text]
  • Amyand's Hernia with Appendicitis Masquerading As Fournier's
    Rajaguru and Tan Ee Lee Journal of Medical Case Reports (2016) 10:263 DOI 10.1186/s13256-016-1046-9 CASE REPORT Open Access Amyand’s hernia with appendicitis masquerading as Fournier’s gangrene: a case report and review of the literature Kishore Rajaguru* and Daniel Tan Ee Lee Abstract Background: The incarceration of an appendix within an inguinal hernia sac is known as Amyand’s hernia. Appendicitis in Amyand’s hernia accounts for 0.1 % of the cases. An aggressive necrotizing infection of the genitalia and perineum, called Fournier’s gangrene, can rapidly progress to sepsis and death. We describe a rare case of Fournier’s gangrene complicating Amyand’s inguinal hernia which has rarely been reported in the literature. Case presentation: This case report describes the presentation and management of a 47-year-old Chinese man who presented with pus discharge from his right inguinoscrotal region and lower abdominal pain with clinical signs of Fournier’s gangrene. On surgical exploration, a complicated Amyand’s hernia (Losanoff and Basson classification type 4) was found to be the cause of his Fournier’s gangrene. Conclusions: A perforated appendix within an inguinal hernia causing Fournier’s gangrene is rarely seen in clinical practice. The diagnosis of this condition is almost always made intraoperatively. Early recognition and awareness of perforated appendicitis within an inguinal hernia sac as one of the causes of Fournier’s gangrene and good surgical technique in such cases are the keys to success when dealing with this surgical issue. In complicated presentations of Amyand’s hernia, an appendicectomy with anatomical repair is the best treatment.
    [Show full text]
  • Case Report Hiatus Hernia: a Rare Cause of Acute Pancreatitis
    Hindawi Publishing Corporation Case Reports in Medicine Volume 2016, Article ID 2531925, 4 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2531925 Case Report Hiatus Hernia: A Rare Cause of Acute Pancreatitis Shruti Patel,1 Ghulamullah Shahzad,2 Mahreema Jawairia,2 Krishnaiyer Subramani,2 Prakash Viswanathan,2 and Paul Mustacchia2 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY 11554, USA 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY 11554, USA Correspondence should be addressed to Shruti Patel; [email protected] Received 23 December 2015; Accepted 7 February 2016 Academic Editor: Tobias Keck Copyright © 2016 Shruti Patel et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Hiatal hernia (HH) is the herniation of elements of the abdominal cavity through the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm. A giant HH with pancreatic prolapse is very rare and its causing pancreatitis is an even more extraordinary condition. We describe a case of a 65-year-old man diagnosed with acute pancreatitis secondary to pancreatic herniation. In these cases, acute pancreatitis may be caused by the diaphragmatic crura impinging upon the pancreas and leading to repetitive trauma as it crosses the hernia; intermittent folding of the main pancreatic duct; ischemia associated with stretching at its vascular pedicle; or total pancreatic incarceration. Asymptomatic hernia may not require any treatment, while multiple studies have supported the recommendation of early elective repair as a safer route in symptomatic patients.
    [Show full text]
  • Management of Incidental Amyand Hernia with a Case Report
    CASE REPORT East J Med 24(4): 551-553, 2019 DOI: 10.5505/ejm.2019.82787 Management of Incidental Amyand Hernia With A Case Report Tolga Kalayci*, Ümit Haluk Iliklerden Department of General Surgery,Yuzuncu Yil University Faculty of Medicine,Van,Turkey ABSTRACT The presence of appendix vermiformis in inguinal hernia is known as Amyand hernia. Amyand hernia is a rare condition estimated to account for approximately 1% of all inguinal hernias. In our case we want to show our approach to incidental Amyand hernia. An 80-year-old male patient was received at urology service at Van Yuzuncu Yil University Department of Medicine because of prostatic symptoms. There were comorbid factors like hypertension,chronic obstructive lung disease and geriatric age. On surgery with spinal anesthesia, surgeons invited us to evaluate his left inguinal hernia. We evaluated hernia and saw distal ileal segments, proximal right colonic segments and inflamme appendix at hernia defect. Because of appendix inflammation we performed appendectomy. Hernia was repaired with mesh. We put a drain at surgery area. At postoperative first day, the patient discharged with drain. The fifth day of post-surgery, the drain was pulled out. At the time of 1st and 3rd month check of the patient, there was no problem about surgery. Amyand hernia is one of the rare conditions encountered by the surgeon during hernia surgery. The surgeon must know the Rosanoff and Bassoon Classification of Amyand Hernia to successfully manage Amyand hernia surgery. The surgeon also must know the situation in which case an appendectomy should be performed and in which case the mesh should be used.
    [Show full text]
  • Hiatal Hernia
    FACT SHEET FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES Hiatal Hernia What is it? Normal esophagus A hiatal hernia is a condition in which the top of the stomach bulges through an opening in the diaphragm called the hiatus. The diaphragm is the large muscle The diaphragm The hiatus is that helps you breathe. The diaphragm separates the is a muscle that an opening in stomach from the chest. A hiatal hernia moves up into separates the chest the diaphragm and abdomen that lets the the chest and can cause pain and other symptoms. esophagus reach the stomach There are 2 types of hiatal hernias: • A sliding hernia is the most common. The top part of the stomach and the part of the tube that connects Hiatal hernias your mouth to your stomach (the esophagus) slide up into the chest through the hiatus. • A paraesophageal hernia is less common. A lower part of the stomach squeezes through the hiatus and gets stuck next to the esophagus. This is more serious because it can cut off the blood supply to that part of the stomach. What causes it and who is at risk? With a sliding hernia, the With a paraesophageal top of the stomach pushes hernia, a lower section The exact causes are not known, but it’s a common through the diaphragm of the stomach pushes condition in adults. As many as 10 out of 100 people through the diaphragm who are over age 40 have a hiatal hernia. The chances for getting it increase as a person gets older. What are the symptoms? Other things that increase your chances for getting Most small hiatal hernias don’t cause symptoms and hiatal hernia include: are never discovered.
    [Show full text]
  • Hiatal Hernia
    ® ® GastroenteroloGy department Hiatal Hernia definition causes A hernia occurs when one part of the body protrudes through The exact cause of hiatal hernias isn’t known. Your chest cavity a gap or opening into another part. A hiatal hernia forms at the and abdomen are separated by your diaphragm — a large opening in your diaphragm where your food pipe (esophagus) dome-shaped muscle that’s responsible for a major part of joins your stomach. Part of the stomach pushes through this normal breathing. Your esophagus passes into your stomach opening causing a hiatal hernia. through an opening in the diaphragm called the hiatus. Hiatal hernias occur when the muscle tissue surrounding this opening Most small hiatal hernias don’t cause problems, and you may becomes weak, and the upper part of your stomach bulges up never know you have a hiatal hernia unless your doctor discovers through the diaphragm into your chest cavity. it when checking for another condition. But a large hiatal hernia can allow food and acid to back up into your esophagus, leading pressure on the abdomen to heartburn and chest pain. Self-care measures or medications can usually relieve these symptoms, although very large hiatal Some people develop a hiatal hernia after an injury to the area. hernias sometimes need surgical repair. Others are born with an inherent weakness or unusually large hiatal opening. But anything that puts intense pressure on your symptoms abdomen — including persistent or severe coughing or vomiting, pregnancy, straining while going to the bathroom, increased Small hernias — Most small hiatal hernias cause no problems.
    [Show full text]
  • Strangulated Spigelian Hernia
    Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.63.735.51 on 1 January 1987. Downloaded from Postgraduate Medical Journal (1987) 63, 51-52 Strangulated Spigelian hernia Robert M. Kirby Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, Surrey, UK. Summary: Spigelian herniae rarely present as emergencies. There have been two cases requiring emergency surgery at this hospital within the last 5 years, representing 2.4% ofal abdominal wail herniae requiring urgent treatment for strangulation. Introduction Spigelian herniae are uncommon abdominal hernias, Case 2 and likewise an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain. They occur through a defect in the transversus A 48 year old woman presented with a swelling in the abdominis fascia. The diagnosis is not always straight- right groin, which had been present for 3 hours. She forward, especially when a mass is not palpable. The had noticed a lump in this position, appearing inter- most important factor in the diagnosis of this condi- mittently, for up to 2 years. Ten weeks before this tion is a high index of suspicion. Two patients are admission she had had an abdominal hysterectomy described, who presented with strangulated Spigelian performed through a Pfannenstiel incision. No abnor- herniae. mality had been noticed at this time. by copyright. On examination she had a mass 3 x 4 cm lying above the inguinal canal, just lateral to the Pfannen- Case reports stiel incision. This was extremely tender, but there were no generalized signs of bowel obstruction or Case I peritonitis. At operation a Spigelian hernia was found at the lateral border of the rectus muscle.
    [Show full text]
  • Hernia Surgery Information What Is a Hernia?
    Hernia Surgery Information What is a hernia? A hernia is a weak area or tear in your abdominal muscle. The weakness allows part of an organ, usually the intestine, to partially go through the tear. There are a few different types of hernias. Hernias often look like a pouch or soft lump sticking out of the abdomen. Inguinal hernia Incisional hernia Umbilical hernia An inguinal hernia is a hernia An incisional hernia occurs at A hernia that occurs by the in the groin an earlier surgical site belly button in the abdomen Surgery Your surgery can be done with one incision called “open” surgery, or it can be done “laparoscopically” with a few small incisions. Laparoscopic surgery is done with thin tubes with a light and a tiny camera through the incisions. This makes it so the doctor can see the hernia to repair it with tools and place a mesh. The mesh fixes the tear in the muscle by strengthening the tissue. Day of Surgery You will be asked to come to Memorial Hospital 90 minutes before your surgery. You will come to the Surgery Admitting Department. The nurses will start an IV, review your medications, medical history, and get you ready for surgery. An anesthesiologist will talk to you about your sedation during surgery. You are encouraged to have 1 or 2 family members to stay with you during this time. When you go to surgery, your family or friend will be asked to wait in the Family Waiting area. They will be updated throughout your surgery. After Surgery When surgery ends, you will be taken to the Recovery Room where your vital signs and symptoms caused by the surgery will be monitored.
    [Show full text]