HERNIAS

Marcelyn Coley Mount Sinai School of Medicine Basic Science Lecture

Historical Perspective

15th century - Castration with wound cauterization or hernia sac debridement recommended a truss

Father of Modern Inguinal Hernia Repair

EDUARDO BASSINI

Hernia

Latin for rupture an abnormal protrusion of an organ or tissue through a defect in its surrounding walls Occur at sites where aponeurosis and fascia are not covered by striated muscle

Which of the following statements is/are true regarding incidence of the abdominal wall hernia?
A. B.

C.
D.

E.

Two-thrirds of all inguinal hernias are classified as indirect. Femoral hernias are more common in females than in males. Direct hernias are common in females. Hernias generally occur with equal frequency in males and females Premature babies have a 10% incidence of having inguinal hernia.

Epidemiology

700,000 hernia repairs year Inguinal hernias -75% of all hernias

2/3 Indirect, remainder are direct

Incisional hernias 15 to 20% Umbilical and epigastric 10% Femoral 5%

Epidemiology

Prevelance of hernias increases with age Most serious complication strangulation

1 to 3% of groin hernias

Femoral highest rate of complications 15% to 20%

recommended all be repaired at time of discovery

Abdominal Wall Anatomy

Anatomy

Inguinal ligament (Pouparts) inferior edge of external oblique Lacunar ligament triangular extension of the inguinal ligament before its insertion upon the pubic tubercle conjoined tendon (5-10%)Internal oblique fuses with transversus abdominis aponeurosis Coopers Ligament formed by the periosteum and fascia along the superior ramus of the pubis.

Inguinal Canal

Between deep and superficial inguinal rings Boundaries

Superifical external oblique aponeurosis Superior internal and transversus Inferior shelving edge of inguinal ligament and lacunar ligament Posterior (floor) transversalis fascia and aponeurosis of transversus abdominis muscle

Inguinal Canal

Contains the spermatic cord and round ligament of the uterus Spermatic cord

Cremasteric muscle fibers Testicular vessels Genital branch of genitofemoral nerve Vas deferens Cremasteric vessels

Components of Hesselbachs triangle include which of the following anatomic landmarks?

A.

B.
C. D. E.

Pectineal ligament Lateral border of the rectus sheath Coopers ligament Inguinal ligament Inferior epigastric vessels

Terminology

Reducible can be replaced within

surrounding musculature

Incarcerated cannot be reduced

Strangulated compromised blood supply to its contents

Sends sensory branches to the inner thigh and medial aspect of the scrotum
A. B. C.

D.

Ileoinguinal nerve Genitofemoral nerve Both Neither

A sliding inguinal hernia on the left side is likely to involve which of the following?
A. B. C. D. E.

Jejunum composing the posterior wall of the sac Ovary and fallopian tube in a female infant Omentum Sigmoid colon composing the posterior wall of the sac Cecum composing the anteromedial wall of the sac

Terminology

Pantaloon direct and indirect components Richters contains antimesenteric portion of small bowel Sliding involves visceral peritoneum of an organ , i.e. bladder, ovary Littres hernia contains Meckels diverticulum Petit hernia at inferior lumbar triangle Grynfelt hernia at superior lumbar triangle

Groin Hernias

Indirect Direct Femoral

Inguinal Hernia

Classified as congenital vs. acquired commonly thought that repeated increases in intra-abdominal pressure contribute to hernia formation collagen formation and structure deteriorates with age, and thus hernia formation is more common in the older individual.

Clinical Presentation

Groin bulge Often asymptomatic Dull feeling of discomfort or heaviness in the groin Focal pain raise suspicion for incarceration or strangulation Symptoms of bowel obstruction

Inguinal hernia

Male inguinal hernia

Female inguinal hernia

Diagnosis

Physical Exam 74.5% sensitive and 96.3% specific examine the patient in the standing and supine positions difficult to distinguish direct and indirect on exam on alone

Diagnosis

Radiologic Investigations

Herniography
Suspected hernia, but clinical dx unclear Procedure done under flouroscopy following injection of contrast medium Frontal and oblique radiographs are taken with and without increased intra-abdominal pressure

Ultrasonography MRI CT

Herniography

Left indirect inguinal hernia

Right direct inguinal hernia

Direct Inguinal Hernia

Direct Inguinal Hernia

Medial to the inferior

epigastric artery and vein, and within Hesselbach's triangle

acquired weakness in the inguinal floor

Indirect Inguinal hernia

Abdominal contents protrude through internal inguinal ring

Indirect Inguinal Hernia

Accepted hypothesis: incomplete or defective obliteration of the processus vaginalis during the fetal period remnant layer of peritoneum forms a sac at the internal ring more frequently on the right

Femoral

More common in females Up to 40% present as emergencies with hernia incarceration or strangulation Passes medial to the femoral vessels and nerve in the femoral canal through the empty space Inguinal ligament forms the superior border

Femoral

palpation of the femoral canal just below the inguinal ligament in the upper thigh NAVELS

Which of the following statements is/are true regarding direct inguinal hernias?
A. B. C. D. E.

The most likely cause is destruction of connective tissue resulting form physical stress. Direct hernias should be repaired promptly because of the risk of incarceration. A direct hernia may be a sliding hernia involving a portion of the bladder wall. A direct hernia may pass through the external inguinal ring. Colon carcinoma is a known cause of direct inguinal hernias.

Treatment

Non-Operative
Observation Trusses can provide symptomatic relief

Hernia control in ~30% of patients

Operative

Bassini Shouldice McVay Lichtenstein Preperitoneal Laparoscopic

Bassini (early 20th Century)

Transversus abdominis to Thompsons ligament and internal oblique musculoaponeurotic arches or conjoined tendon to the inguinal ligament Multilayer imbricated repair of the posterior wall of the inguinal canal
Edge of the transversus abdominis aponeurosis to Coopers ligament; incorporate Coopers ligament and the iliopubic tract (transition suture)

Shouldice (1930s)

McVay (1948)

BASSINI

MCVAY

SHOULDICE

Lichtenstein

First pure prosthestic, tension-free repair to achieve low recurrence rates

Prosthetic Repair

Polypropylene mesh most common and preferred

allows for a fibrotic reaction to occur between the inguinal floor and the posterior surface of the mesh, thereby forming scar and strengthening the closure of the hernia defect often used for repair of ventral or incision hernias in which the fibrotic reaction with the underlying serosal surface of the bowel is best avoided

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mesh

Prospective study Danish Hernia database of over 13,000 hernia repairs Compared re-operations for recurrent hernia Results: After 5 years significantly lower (1/4 less) recurrence with mesh vs. sutured repair

Laparoscopic

The cause of neuropathic postherniorrhaphy inguinodynia includes which of the following?

A.

B.

C. D. E.

Formation of scar tissue Transection of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, or the genitofemoral nerves Suture entrapment of nerves Staple entrapment of nerves Periosteal reaction

Surgical Complications

Recurrence Infection Neuralgia Bladder injury Testicular injury Vas Deferens injury

Other Hernias

Which of the following is/are true statements regarding umbilical hernias?

A.

B.

C.
D.

E.

They are embryonic equivalent of a small omphalocele Repair in infants is usually deferred until approximately 4 years of age Repair in adults is usually indicated The vest-over-pants type of repair is stronger than simple approximation of fascial margins They are most common in Caucasian infants

Umbilical
Incidence Reported ~10% several times greater in Black children more common in premature children all races Most close spontaneously by age 2 or 3 Acquired rather than congenital in adults Female to male ratio 3:1

Epigastric

midline junction of the aponeuroses (linea alba) between the xiphoid process and umbilicus Paraumbilical hernia epigastric hernia that borders the umbilicus Estimated frequency 3-5% More common in Males 3:1 20% may be multiple

Epigastric

Clinical

Often asymptomatic, incidental finding If symptomatic, vague abdominal pain above the umbilicus exacerbated by standing or coughing; relieved in supine position Severe pain secondary to incarceration/strangulation of preperitoneal fat (often no peritoneal sac) or omentum Exam: palpate small, soft, reducible mass superior to the umbilicus

RARE to have strangulated bowel

Excise fat and sac, close primarily

Tx

An 82-year-old previously healthy woman has a 12-hour history of severe epigastric pain associated with nausea and vomiting. She has had no previous abdominal operations. Her WBC count is 21,000/cu mm. The plain films and abdominal CT shown are obtained.

Which of the following best describes this patients diagnosis?

A.

B. C. D. E.

Pain in the medial thigh and knee is uncommonly associated with this condition It is unusual in women It is unusual in elderly patients It is seldom associated with intestinal necrosis It is usually unilateral

Obturator

Rare form of hernia Protrusion of intra-abdominal contents through obturator foramen F:M ratio 6:1 The obturator foramen is formed by the ischial and pubic rami obturator vessels and nerve lie posterolateral to the hernia sac in the canal Small bowel is the most likely intraabdominal organ to be found in an obturator hernia

Obturator

4 cardinal signs :
intestinal obstruction (80%) Howship-Romberg sign (50%) History of repeated episodes of bowel obstruction that resolve quickly and without intervention Palpable mass (20%)

Tx: Sugical Repair

Spigelian Hernia

occurs along the semilunar line, which traverses a vertical space along the lateral rectus border

where more than 90% of spigelian hernias are found

Spigelian Hernia

Clinical

Swelling in middle to lower abdomen lateral to rectus muscle Usually reducible Up to 20% present with incarceration Mesh not required Recurrence is uncommon

Tx: surgical

Lumbar

Acquired lumbar hernias

back or flank trauma, poliomyelitis, back surgery, and the use of the iliac crest as a donor site for bone grafts

Contains to anatomic triangles, inferior and superior lumbar triangles

Grynfelts Petits

Strangulation is rare Soft swelling in lower posterior abdomen

Sciatic

Via greater or lesser sciatic notch greater sciatic notch is traversed by the piriformis muscle, and hernia sacs can protrude either superior or inferior to this muscle suprapiriform defect 60% Infrapiriform 30% subspinous (through the lesser sciatic foramen) 10%

Which of the following hernias is most likely to recur after primary repair?
A.

B.
C. D. E.

Epigastric hernia Spigelian hernia Indirect hernia Femoral hernia Incisional hernia

Ventral wall (Incisional)

Highest incidence in midline and transverse incisions Up to20% after laparotomy 1/3 present in 5-10 years postoperatively Risk factors

obesity, DM, ascites, steroids, smoking malnutrition, wound infection

Type of incision Excessive tension (prone to fascial disruption)

Technical aspects of wound closure

Which of the following hernias represent an incarceration of a limited portion of small bowel?
A.

B.
C. D. E.

Spigelian hernia Grynfelts hernia Petits hernia Richters hernia Littres hernia