FAQs inguinal hernia
1. WHAT IS HERNIA?
Protrusion of some organ (mostly intestine) outside tummy (which is inside normally) is called as hernia.
You need to understand the structural arrangement in groin.
a. Every child male or female, has natural ring like opening in both groins called as Inguinal Ring.
b. This ring should get closed at the time of birth. But in some kids it may remain open and that leads to hernia.
2. HOW DID YOU DIAGNOSE IT?
Answer: This hernia has a special finding that it comes and goes. Whenever pressure inside the tummy increases like child is coughing, crying, jumping or straining at urine or stool; the swelling appears and it goes back when pressed or child goes to sleep. So Hernia is mainly a clinical diagnosis. But in doubtful cases sonography may help.
3. WE HEARD THAT HERNIA OCCURS IN ADULTS. HOW COME MY KID GOT IN CHILDHOOD?
Answer : Hernia can be seen in adults as well as children. Moreover, cause of hernia in adults is different than cause in children. In adults mesh is used in surgery and in children it is not required.
4. YOU SAID THAT THE CAUSE FOR THIS PROBLEM IS BY BIRTH, BUT MY CHILD DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM AT BIRTH?
True. There is no rule when hernia will appear. Although cause is since birth, it can be detected anytime right from day 1 of life to 1 year to 5 year to 10 year to after that.
5. WHAT IS TREATMENT?
Unless we close that ring by surgery, it is not cured.
6. CAN IT BE CURED WITH SOME MEDICINE?
Answer : Unfortunately there is no medicine which can cure the hernia.
7. BUT CHILD IS SMALL. CAN WE WAIT FOR SURGERY?
Answer : True Child is small. Although hernia is not an emergency, no one can guarantee when it will turn emergency. Hence early surgery is advisable. It is sometimes required in newborns as well. Child can bear the surgery if it is done when it is not complicated. However surgery during complication can sometimes be risky.
8. WHAT EMERGENCY DOCTOR?
Answer : Till the time intestine are coming and going through this ring, its fine. But if intestine gets chocked in ring, there can be damage to emergency. It is an emergency.
9. WHAT IF SUCH SITUATION HAPPENS?
Answer : if above situation occurs, blood flow to intestine gets hampered and can lead to gangrene of intestine.
If this happens we have to rush even in middle of night and operate immediately. The nature of surgery becomes big. Long Incision, more anaesthesia, sometimes cutting of intestine if gangrene happened, more hospital stay, more expenses and more risk.
There is no rule when this will happen. We have seen cases where nothing happened in a year also and also seen that by the parents reached home after consultation and they had to rush back on same day as complications have developed.
10. WE HEARD THAT HERNIA OCCURS IN BOYS ONLY AND NOT GIRLS. IS IT TRUE?
Answer : No. Hernia can occur in girls also. However in girls there is additional risk of uterine tube and ovaries coming out of ring and can get damaged if torsion occurs.
11. HOW BIG IS SURGERY?
Answer : Surgery done when not complicated it is day care surgery. It means child can be discharged same day. Surgery is done under regional anaesthesia. There will not be any need to remove the stitches as all stitches are inside only.
12. WHAT WILL BE AFTER SURGERY CARE?
Answer : Its not very specific. Preferably bed rest for 1-2 days. He can play indoor activity games from day 3. He can resume to outdoor mild exercise activity from day 8. If he is comfortable he can go to school from day 10 of surgery.
13. WE HEARD THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN. IS THAT TRUE?
Answer : Chances of happening again called as recurrence on same side is 0.1% (1 in 1000). However it can happen on opposite side in 30 % cases (just like cataract surgery, even after surgery of cataract in one eye, patient can get cataract in other eye). If it develops, it will need surgery.
