digestive disorders
Inguinal Hernia
Introduction
An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of a piece of intestine or another abdominal organ through an opening in the abdominal wall in the groin. People have a bulge in the groin or scrotum, which may be painless or cause discomfort if it enlarges. Ultrasonography can be used for diagnosis. Surgery is done if hernias are in women, cause symptoms in men, or become strangulated or incarcerated. (See also Abdominal Wall Hernias .) In an inguinal hernia, a loop of intestine or another abdominal organ pushes through an opening in the abdominal wall into the inguinal canal. The inguinal canal contains the spermatic cord, which consists of the vas deferens, blood vessels, nerves, and other structures. Before birth, the testes, which are formed in the abdomen, pass through the inguinal canal as they descend into the scrotum. An inguinal hernia extends into the groin and can extend into the scrotum. They are more common among men. There are two types, direct and indirect, depending on exactly where the hernia occurs. Other types of hernias (such as Abdominal wall hernias and With an inguinal hernia, the opening in the abdominal wall can be present from birth (see Inguinal Hernia in Children ) or develop later in life. 