A ventral hernia occurs when tissue, usually the intestine, or fat inside the abdomen pushes through the muscle layer. When this occurs at the navel, it is termed an umbilical hernia, and if at the site of a previous surgery, the term is incisional hernia. These types of hernias may not cause any pain or discomfort when a person is lying flat, but may become painful/uncomfortable when standing, lifting, straining, or coughing.
If a portion of intestine has protruded through, and becomes stuck, the result can be a blockage, (obstruction), and cause nausea/vomiting. In this event, immediate repair is necessary, otherwise the portion of intestine that is stuck may die, due to its blood supply being interrupted. Like inguinal hernias, a ventral hernia will not improve on its own, but not all hernias need immediate repair, and can be planned.
A hernia that is causing significant discomfort, increasing in size, or requires repair to allow an individual to be able to perform physical activities required for work/school should be repaired electively. As in the case of inguinal hernias, repair is performed by closing the weak/separated muscle, often with a mesh, if required. Usually, the surgery is performed as an outpatient but larger hernias may require an overnight stay in the hospital. In many cases, we perform the repair using a mesh laparoscopically.
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