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The mystery of inguinal hernia surgery: How it's changing our view of health.
Inguinal hernia surgery, a term that is familiar to many people but unfamiliar to others, what kind of health knowledge does it hide? An inguinal hernia is a condition that arises from a weakness in the abdominal wall, which usually causes the contents of the abdominal cavity to slip into a narrow passage called the inguinal canal. This condition is more common in men, as about 90% of cases occur in men. Inguinal hernias account for 75% of all hernia surgeries in the United States.
According to experts, inguinal hernias can range from being asymptomatic to becoming an emergency requiring surgery. Patients may find themselves with a small lump in the groin area after complex movements that goes away when they lie down, but reappears when they cough or strain to have a bowel movement. Over time, the lump may become more significant in size and more painful, prompting the patient to consider surgery.
Surgery is the ultimate treatment option for all types of hernias, but not all patients require an immediate repair.
Surgical approaches for inguinal hernia include open surgery and minimally invasive surgery. An open repair involves making an incision of about 10 centimeters in the groin area, and then the hernia sac is either returned to the abdomen or removed, and the omentum is often used to reinforce the abdominal wall. Minimally invasive surgery uses smaller incisions and is performed through a camera, which reduces pain and recovery time for patients. According to statistics, open surgery accounts for 96% of the 600,000 repair surgeries performed each year in the United States.
The success of surgery is usually assessed based on the rate of hernia recurrence, pain severity, and subsequent quality of life.
It is worth noting that with the advancement of technology and the improvement of medical standards, the safety and effectiveness of inguinal hernia surgery have been widely recognized. According to the study, the combined report showed that for patients with asymptomatic hernias and uncomplicated pregnant women, surgery can be delayed during an observation period, but most patients will eventually require surgical repair. Even small abnormalities can become more dangerous over time.
Although complications after surgery are rare, they cannot be ignored. Patients may face risks such as bleeding, infection, and even urinary incontinence, but perhaps most noteworthy is the chronic pain that may occur after surgery. According to data, 10-12% of patients face challenges due to postoperative pain, which may require another surgery to resolve.
Surgery is only a solution, but how can the patient's quality of life be guaranteed after that?
Surprisingly, the risk of hernias isn't limited to adult men; many infants and premature babies may also face this problem. Therefore, for hernias in newborns and children, doctors recommend that surgery should be performed early even if there are no obvious symptoms to prevent possible complications in the future.
Our attitude towards health is often limited by various cognitions and immediate troubles, and the development of inguinal hernia surgery seems to have subtly awakened our reflection on the concept of health. When we consider surgery, should we also re-examine our own health status and how we will deal with future health problems?
