A new method of treating a hernia. It will be cheaper and shorter

Proven content

This could be a breakthrough in the treatment of a hernia. Scientists from the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin have created a new method of treating an abdominal hernia, which is to replace the traditional one. It is based on sewing in a mesh – a flexible implant that is naturally excreted from the body. Thanks to it, the procedure is to be cheaper and more convenient for patients. The operation time will also be shorter and the postoperative wounds will be much smaller.

A few words about a hernia

1. About 40 jobs are performed in Poland. hernia surgery annually.
2. Scientists from the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin have created a new method of hernia treatment.
3. Instead of a synthetic mesh to treat hernias, a flexible patch can be used, which could revolutionize soft tissue reconstruction treatments.

Abdominal hernia

Abdominal hernia is caused by the displacement of internal organs (e.g. intestines) outside the abdominal cavity through an opening in the integuments. It is most often caused by weakened abdominal integuments due to the loss of collagen with age. Loss of exercise, obesity and hard physical work also contribute to the loss of collagen. In humans, the most common occurrence is inguinal hernia, which affects as much as 30%. men, but the most dangerous is the abdominal hernia, which can cause the intestines to jam, most often the small intestine. He also performs, among others umbilical and femoral hernia.

Most often, hernias are treated with surgery. In our country, about 40 thousand. hernia surgeries annually, and in the United States and the European Union – over 2 million treatments per year.

An inguinal hernia is usually treated the so-called by the Lichtenstein method, which is based on the dissection of the hernial sac, draining it into the abdominal cavity and strengthening the back wall of the inguinal canal with synthetic material. For this purpose, a polypropylene mesh is used, which remains in the body for many years. Another (new) method presented by prof. Mirosława El Fray from the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin is the use of injectable material which, due to the influence of UV rays, takes the form of a flexible patch, and over time grows through soft tissue to eventually biodegrade in the body.

The specialist believes that the technology PhotoBioCur – can be a breakthrough treatment for hernia. – The semi-liquid form of the biomaterial gives many advantages related to the effectiveness of the treatment: first of all, it shortens the time of its implementation, it is more comfortable and safer for the patient, it also has a good effect on the course and duration of convalescence – she adds.

The use of an innovative method would reduce the risk of hernia recurrence. Scientists hope that this technique will be put into practice in a few years’ time. However, first of all, it will be necessary to conduct a series of studies on, inter alia, safety of the designed material. The West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin received funding to perform the necessary tests.

The patch for the treatment of hernias has already been developed in the USA and Poland, and has also been submitted for protection in Europe. It is expected that, in addition to the regeneration of the abdominal integuments, it can be used in the surgical treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, plastic surgery and hand orthopedics.

Hernia – general symptoms

The general symptoms of a hernia include:

Nausea

– vomiting,

– abdominal pain in the area of ​​the hernial tumor;

– increasing symptoms of intestinal obstruction;

– the presence of a soft tumor at the site of the hernia (initially it can be drained back into the abdominal cavity); with the development of the disease, the tumor hardens;

– burning and pulling sensation when squeezing the tumor.

What is an umbilical hernia?

Umbilical hernia is a disease that most often affects infants (low body weight, premature babies), but it can also be older children and adults. Umbilical hernia is when the contents of the stomach are outside the abdominal cavity. This state of affairs requires immediate medical attention, as an untreated umbilical hernia can cause serious life-threatening complications.

Umbilical hernia is another form of an abdominal hernia, it occurs when the elements of the abdominal cavity pass through the unclosed umbilical ring and the abdominal wall. In the area of ​​the navel, we can see a bulge, which doctors call a hernial sac, in which, in turn, there may even be part of the intestine.

What is an inguinal hernia?

The fact that, regardless of the position and movements, the internal organs of the body, a large part of which are in the abdominal cavity, remain in the designated places, we owe, inter alia, to the abdominal wall, especially the muscles. However, when a weak spot appears at the interface between the muscles, the dam is fissured: as a result of the pressing pressure, what is on the other side begins to escape through the fissure, first in small amounts, over time in larger and larger amounts – an inguinal hernia is formed. . Water leaks through the dam, and in the case of leaky abdominal integuments, the peritoneum (i.e. the membrane lining the abdominal cavity), as well as the organs themselves, most often the intestines, begins to escape through the gap. When we exert pressure on the walls of the abdomen from the inside during exercise, such as lifting heavy objects, we start the process of getting out of what should remain inside.

Inguinal hernia – symptoms

– pain in the inguinal area (occurring during physical activity, coughing or even laughing);

Constipation

– a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen;

– the presence in the groin area with the development of the disease of a soft lump; at first it is invisible on the outside, but can be palpated. As the disease progresses, the lump becomes more visible, but it can be pushed back into the abdomen. If the lump becomes hard and painful, and the skin around it is red and warm, and there are problems with passing stools, nausea and vomiting – immediate medical intervention is necessary. These symptoms may indicate an entrapment of the hernia, which in extreme cases leads to necrosis of the intestines enclosed in the hernia. Such situations require operational intervention.

Hiatus hernia

Esophageal hernia is a condition that occurs when the stomach moves upward and a portion of it passes from the abdomen to the chest. To understand the problem, it should be clarified that the diaphragm is like a septum separating the chest from the abdominal cavity. It is simply a muscle between the lower ribs that covers the lower esophagus. In turn, the hiatus is the place where the esophagus passes through the diaphragm. A hiatal hernia occurs when the hiatus weakens and stretches and no longer fits tightly against the esophagus. Then the diaphragm is not able to hold the stomach in its place by itself. Although there are several types of hiatal hernia, the most common occurrence of the so-called a sliding hernia (part of the stomach “slides” into the esophagus through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm).

Symptoms:

– vomiting,

— heartburn,

– pain in the chest,

– swallowing problems,

– burning behind the breastbone and around the heart,

– sweating,

– shortness of breath

– vomiting,

– bitter belching.

Hernia of the spine

A hernia of the spine is a condition where the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc falls out of the intervertebral space, which causes pressure on the spine or nerves that go away. A hernia of the spine is popularly called a disc prolapse. Although a hernia can appear along the entire length of the spine, the most common cases are in the lumbar region, which is the most overloaded section of the spine. We are talking then about a hernia of the lumbar spine. One of the symptoms of a spinal hernia is sciatica. The disease rarely affects the thoracic segment.

Common causes:

– heavy lifting,

– traffic accident,

– hard work,

– practicing high-performance sports,

– lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle,

– incorrect performance of daily activities, e.g. bending the back while picking up something from the ground,

– adopting uncomfortable positions while sitting.

Hernia of the white border

The formation of a white line hernia is mainly associated with muscle weakness in its vicinity. The white line is the line that connects the muscles between the sternum and the symphysis pubis. The white line hernia initially presents with slight pain and discomfort in the epigastric or navel area. Symptoms usually worsen after passing stools, after coughing, or after strenuous exercise. You can also see a lump on the skin.

Other causes of the white line:

Diseases causing an increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity, e.g. prostate, constipation,

– collagen metabolism disorders,

– diseases that worsen the continuity of connective tissue,

– defects and defects of anatomical structures,

– weakening of the transverse fascia.

The white line hernia should not be ignored because, as with other hernias, it may become trapped. The treatment of ailments is surgery, most often the laparoscopic method, which aims to repair and strengthen the weak abdominal wall.

Femoral hernia

We talk about a femoral hernia when the organs located in the abdominal cavity, or their fragments, squeeze through the femoral canal into the groin area, and more precisely in the upper and medial surface of the thigh. It is caused by weakening of the muscles of the abdominal wall. This ailment is diagnosed more often in women, especially those who have had childbirth (extension of the femoral canal) and those who are 65 years of age (they have weakened muscles). The indication for a visit to the doctor is discomfort in the groin area and the upper and medial surface of the thigh. It is very dangerous to trap a femoral hernia, which can even lead to the death of the patient.

symptoms:

– pain in the groin area and the upper and medial surface of the thigh;

– the presence of a soft or hard lump.

The most common treatment is tension-free surgery, during which the defect is closed with a mesh made of artificial material. A laparoscopic method is also used, which allows to reach the operated hernia in a less invasive way. The femoral hernia can be accessed via the abdominal, femoral and inguinal routes.

Diaphragmatic hernia

A diaphragmatic hernia is a condition that arises when the abdominal organs enter the chest. This is due to the discontinuity of the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic hernia occurs most often in obese people who have greater pressure in the abdominal cavity, and in the elderly whose tissues are weakened and more likely to be damaged. The ailment may appear even during physical exertion or strong pressure or lifting heavy objects. Coughing, stress and frequent inducing vomiting are also risk factors. There are several types of diaphragmatic hernias, incl. Bochdalek’s hernia or Morgagni’s hernia.

Treatment of diaphragmatic hernias is usually operative. During the procedure, the doctor removes the abdominal organs from the chest and closes the hernia gates. Pharmacological treatment is used when the patient’s condition allows it and the symptoms are not very severe.

Meningo-spinal hernia

It is a congenital defect of the neural tube (nervous system). This disease is characterized in children by the poor shape of the spinal canal, which at the same time leads to abnormalities in the conduction of nerve stimuli. Poorly joined nerve arches create a kind of opening through which the nerve fragments of the spinal cord and the meninges surrounding it protrude. This type of hernia is a skin defect with elements of nervous tissue, or a tumor covered with skin and filled with: the spinal meninges, nervous tissue, and some cerebrospinal fluid. Although the meningeal hernia is most often located in the lower lumbosacral spine, it can also affect other areas, such as the thoracic spine.

What are the causes of a meningeal hernia?

In the 3rd week of embryo formation, the structures of the spinal cord are formed. If at this stage the embryo is affected by harmful factors, e.g. chemicals, infections or X-ray rays – there may be an abnormality in the closure of the tube, and thus the formation of congenital defects of the spine, spine or spinal canal. Such defects can be detected even in the third month of pregnancy during a thorough ultrasound examination.

A child with a meningeal hernia must receive appropriate treatment immediately after birth. Surgery on a newborn baby prevents further damage to the spinal cord. After performing hydrocephalus surgery, doctors close the cavities that increase the risk of infection and release the dura mater and attached nerve tissue elements into the spinal canal.

After the operations, a number of rehabilitation is necessary. Children require long-term improvement.