An inguinal hernia (pronounced /ˈɪŋɡwɨnəl ˈhɜrniə/) is a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. They are very common (lifetime risk 27% for men, 3% for women), and their repair is one of the most frequently performed surgical operations.
There are two types of inguinal hernia, direct and indirect. Direct inguinal hernias occur when abdominal contents herniate through a weak point in the fascia of the abdominal wall an...
more
An inguinal hernia (pronounced /ˈɪŋɡwɨnəl ˈhɜrniə/) is a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. They are very common (lifetime risk 27% for men, 3% for women), and their repair is one of the most frequently performed surgical operations.
There are two types of inguinal hernia, direct and indirect. Direct inguinal hernias occur when abdominal contents herniate through a weak point in the fascia of the abdominal wall and into the inguinal canal. Indirect inguinal hernias occur when abdominal contents protrude through the deep inguinal ring; this is ultimately caused by failure of embryonic closure of the processus vaginalis.
In men, indirect hernias follow the same route as the descending testes, which migrate from the abdomen into the scrotum during the development of the urinary and reproductive organs. The larger size of their inguinal canal, which transmitted the testicle and accommodates the structures of the spermatic cord, might be one reason why men...
less
