Cirugía de la Obesidad - Dr. Alberto Daccach Plaza - Guayaquil

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: What is a hernia?

A hernia is a profusion of an abdominal viscus through a weakness of the abdominal wall. Imagine an old tire. Its external covering as the abdominal wall. The internal rubber chamber is like the thin covering of your internal abdomen (peritoneum) Instead of having air in its interior; your abdomen has intestines and other vital organs. When the external cover becomes weak, a hernia is formed. This can occur in adults and children.

Q: What types of hernias exist?

The most common hernias are the inguinal (75%) Others include: umbilical, femoral and incisional.

Q: What is the cause of a hernia?

The majority of hernias are acquired, that is to say, they are produced by an increase in intra abdominal pressure. The erect position of human, constipation, chronic cough due to smoking, not enough exercise and other illnesses contribute to the development of hernias. Congenital hernias are less frequent.

Q: How is a hernia diagnosed?

Generally it is very easy to diagnose by the patient and the doctor. It is manifested by a tumor or protuberance in the place where the hernia is located, most frequently in the inguinal region. It might appear with pain when you lift heavy objects, when you cough or when you defecate. In some cases the hernias may strangulate a segment of the intestine requiring emergency surgery. If you think you have a hernia, please consult your doctor immediately.

Q: How is a hernia treated?

The only treatment is SURGERY. The conservative treatment, using a girdle is not recommended since it does not cure the hernia. It is recommended to correct the hernia with an operation before it grows and before complications arise. There are many surgical procedures to remove and cure a hernia. There is the conventional repair, the peritoneal technique, the laparoscopic technique, with or without mesh to close the hernial defect. These techniques can be done with general anesthetics, regional or local anesthetics, and with epidural.

Q: When can you return to work and lead a normal life?

Generally from 3 to 4 weeks you can return to your normal activities.