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What is a hernia? We are talking about violations of the structure of the walls of the abdominal cavity, as a result of which there is a protrusion of certain organs. The symptoms and consequences of a hernia depend on its location and the affected organ. Untimely treatment of a hernia can cause her infringement. It is about this state that we will talk in more detail.
Overview
Part of the abdominal wall is the muscular-aponeurotic region, which consists of connective tissue. This zone can be called the most vulnerable, since its thickness in some places is less than in other parts of the wall. With a confluence of adverse factors, the integrity of the aponeurosis is violated. At first, the hole has microscopic dimensions, but under the pressure of the abdominal organs, it begins to expand. As a result, nearby organs can fall out into it. Given the anatomy of the human body, in most cases, the hernia contains elements of the omentum, small or sigmoid intestine.
It consists of three components – the gate, the bag and the contents. Hernial orifice – this is exactly the part of the aponeurosis in which the hole appeared. The hernial sac is formed from the parietal tissue of the abdominal wall, which is stretched under the influence of the gravity of the internal organs and falls into the lumen. Contents – organs that fill the hernia cavity.
Symptoms of a pinched hernia
In most cases, a hernia is not a source of severe pain, a person experiences some discomfort directly with a mechanical impact on it. The situation is aggravated when the hernia is pinched – in this case, the organ inside suffers, and it is no longer possible to set the fallen part of the contents of the abdominal cavity with your hands. Pain directly depends on the degree of impact on the nerve endings. In some cases, the pain is moderate, and in some it is very strong, provoking general stress for the body and causing a state of shock.
Another sign of pinched hernial sac:
- its sharp protrusion;
- increase in volumes;
- the walls become elastic;
- no cough impulse.
Suspicion of a pinched hernia is a reason for an immediate appeal to a specialist, since such a condition threatens the development of peritonitis. In some cases, pus begins to accumulate at a very high rate, so late seeking medical help is fatal.
Why is abuse happening?
Infringement of a hernia is provoked by various factors. Depending on the cause of this phenomenon, three types of infringement can be distinguished:
- Elastic – the cause of the pathology is a sharp jump in pressure inside the abdominal cavity. It can be caused by coughing or exercise. What happens at this moment with a hernia? As pressure increases, the gate spontaneously expands and more contents fall into the bag. As soon as the pressure returns to normal, the gate returns to its previous size and squeezes the contents of the hernia, preventing it from returning to its natural position.
- Fecal – a similar phenomenon is characteristic of patients with severe disorders of intestinal motility. It can be both congenital pathologies and age-related changes in the body. For this reason, fecal mass accumulates in the intestine, which is the contents of the hernia. When its volume becomes critical, infringement occurs.
- Mixed – this condition is provoked precisely by the accumulation of feces in the intestinal loop, which fills the hernial sac. The mechanism for the development of pathology is as follows – the fecal mass presses on the hernial gate, expands them, and when it gets inside, the gate closes.
Regardless of the causes of development and the type of hernial infringement, this condition is associated with high risks to human life and health. The sooner the correct diagnosis is established and treatment begins, the more favorable the prognosis for the patient’s future.
Possible complications
In case of infringement of a hernia, a person first feels an increase in pain in this area. A little later, symptoms of classic intestinal obstruction join the discomfort – abdominal pain, vomiting, lack of stool.
When the vomit acquires a pronounced smell of feces, the body signals a critical condition. Ignoring such signs of pathology can cost a person’s life.
But the most dangerous complication of strangulation is peritonitis, which can develop regardless of which organ fills the hernial sac. The disease is characterized by rapidity and provokes a sharp violation of the functions of all organs. As a result, multiple organ failure develops, provoking cardiac arrest.
First aid for strangulated hernia
The first and only help that can be provided to a patient with a suspected infringement of a hernia is his prompt delivery to a medical facility. It is impossible to eliminate this pathology on your own – an attempt to manually correct a hernia can cause an imaginary reduction, that is, the organ remains restrained, but shifts directly into the abdominal cavity. This phenomenon always guarantees the development of peritonitis.
Therapy for strangulated hernia involves surgery. The operation takes place under general anesthesia. After dissecting the walls of the hernial sac, the specialist assesses the condition of the organ that fills it. If the patient applied in a timely manner, then the tissues of the organ do not have time to atrophy. In this case, the gate that exerts pressure expands, the organ is set into place, and the integrity of the abdominal wall is restored. In a neglected case, there are indications for excision of dead tissues of a compressed organ.
As a result, we can say that infringement of a hernia is a dangerous pathology, therefore it is more expedient to prevent its development. Patients with hernias may be recommended elective surgery to repair the abdominal wall. It is better to accept such an offer from the attending physician and get rid of the disease forever.