gastrointestinal disorders
Hernias of the Abdominal Wall
Introduction
A hernia of the abdominal wall is a protrusion of the abdominal contents through an acquired or congenital area of weakness or defect in the wall. Many hernias are asymptomatic, but some become incarcerated or strangulated, causing pain and requiring immediate surgery. Diagnosis is clinical. Treatment is surgical repair. (See also Acute Abdominal Pain .) Abdominal hernias are extremely common, particularly among males, necessitating about 700,000 operations each year in the United States. 