Also called: Also called: Enterocele
A hernia occurs when part of an internal organ bulges through a weak area of muscle. Most hernias occur in the abdomen. There are several types of hernias, including
- Inguinal, the most common type, is in the groin
- Umbilical, around the belly button
- Incisional, through a scar
- Hiatal, a small opening in the diaphragm that allows the upper part of the stomach to move up into the chest.
- Congenital diaphragmatic, a birth defect that needs surgery
Hernias are common. They can affect men, women and children. A combination of muscle weakness and straining, such as with heavy lifting, might contribute. Some people are born with weak abdominal muscles and may be more likely to get a hernia.
The usual treatment for a hernia is surgery to repair the opening in the muscle wall. Untreated hernias can cause pain and health problems.
- Hernia(InteliHealth, Harvard Medical School) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/28901.html
- Hernias(Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons) - http://www.sls.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3355
- Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair(Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons) - http://www.sages.org/publication/id/PI10/
- Abdominal Wall Hernias(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec09/ch132/ch132c.html
-
Incisional Hernia
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/incisionalhernia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/incisionalherniaspanish/htm/index.htm -
Inguinal Hernia
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/inguinalhernia/
- Inguinal Hernia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/inguinal-hernia/DS00364/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Inguinal Hernia(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/inguinalhernia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/inguinalherniaspanish/htm/index.htm
- Misdiagnosed Muscle Strain Can Be a Pain(American Osteopathic Association) - http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=you_sporthernia
- Umbilical Hernia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/umbilical-hernia/DS00655/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Umbilical Hernia(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/umbilicalhernia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/umbilicalherniaspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Incisional Hernia(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/incisionalhernia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/incisionalherniaspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Inguinal Hernia(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/inguinalhernia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/inguinalherniaspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Umbilical Hernia(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/umbilicalhernia/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/umbilicalherniaspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Complex Abdominal Wall Repair with a Collagen Matrix(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 8/22/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM-Flash/syl_1925/rnh.cfm?id=620
-
Component Separation for Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 4/30/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/syl_1928/rnh.cfm?id=731
- Laparoscopic Incisional/Ventral Hernia Repair(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=202
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Hernia, Inguinal(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Hernia,+Inguinal%22
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Hernia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=Hernia+NOT+disc
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Evaluation of age-related intraorbital fat herniation through computed tomography. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18827655&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Significant reduction in incidence of wound contamination by skin flora... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18794427&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Randomized clinical trial of groin hernia repair with titanium-coated lightweight... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18763243&tool=MedlinePlus
- Hernia -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(hernia[majr]+NOT+hernia,hiatal[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
-
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/
-
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Could That Lump Be a Hernia?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/hernia.html
- Diaphragmatic Hernia(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site741/mainpageS741P0.html
- Hernia (Umbilical / Inguinal)(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1018/mainpageS1018P0.html
- Hernias(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/digestive/hernias.html
- GERD - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gerd.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Hernia is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/