Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 02/17/2009
Femoral hernias are a relatively uncommon type, accounting for only 3% of all hernias. While femoral hernias can occur in both males and females, almost all of them develop in women because of the wider bone structure of the female pelvis. Femoral hernias usually grow larger over time; any activity that involves straining, such as heavy lifting or a chronic cough, may cause the hernia to enlarge. Poor abdominal muscle tone, obesity, and pregnancy also increase a woman's risk of developing a femoral hernia. Most femoral hernias develop on only one side of the patient's abdomen, but about 15% of femoral hernias are bilateral. These bilateral hernias are more likely to become strangulated. An additional 20% of femoral hernias become incarcerated.
Femoral hernias are more common in adults than in children. Those that do occur in children are more likely to be associated with a connective tissue disorder or with conditions that increase intra-abdominal pressure. Seventy percent of pediatric cases of femoral hernias occur in infants under the age of one.
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A femoral hernia repair, or herniorraphy is a surgical procedure performed to reposition tissue that has come out through a weak point in the abdominal wall near the groin. In general, a hernia is a protrusion of a loop or piece of tissue through a weak spot or opening in the abdominal wall. There are several different kinds of hernias; they are named according to their location. A femoral hernia is one that occurs in a person's groin near the thigh. In a child, a femoral hernia is usually the result of incomplete closing of this area during development in the womb.
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An obstetrician/gynecologist, commonly abbreviated as OB/GYN, can serve as a primary physician and often serve as consultants to other physicians.
From: womenshealthchannel.com
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