What Is an Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia?

Incarcerated inguinal hernia means that after the abdominal organs enter the hernia sac, they cannot stay in the hernia sac due to the narrow outer ring and cannot reset themselves, and then blood circulation disorders occur. If not handled in time, it will cause strangulated intestinal obstruction, bowel Necrosis with severe consequences.

Basic Information

Visiting department: Basic surgery
Multiple groups: Infants
Common causes: Abdominal pressure increases suddenly, such as high intensity labor, severe cough, defecation, crying in children, etc.

Common symptoms: Abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, blood in the stool; stop defecation, exhaust, and bloating

Causes of incarcerated inguinal hernia

Often caused by a sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure, such as high-intensity labor, severe cough, defecation, crying in children, etc., caused by a weak local abdominal wall.

Clinical manifestations of incarcerated inguinal hernia

When inguinal hernia incarceration occurs, painful masses appear in the groin and scrotum, or the original hernia mass suddenly increases and hardens and cannot be included in the abdominal cavity. When the incarcerated content is the intestine, abdominal cramps and nausea may occur. , Vomiting, blood in the stool; if not treated in time, stop defecation and exhaustion, and abdominal distension will increase.

Incarcerated inguinal hernia

1.B-ultrasound

Color Doppler can detect bilateral inferior abdominal wall arteries in patients with inguinal hernia and identify straight or oblique hernias based on whether the hernia sac neck and hernia sac are inside or outside the inferior abdominal wall arteries; the blood supply of hernia contents can also be observed. Blood flow velocity to see if there are angina and necrosis.

2. Flat X-ray film

Incarcerated inguinal hernias show signs of flatulence and step-like gas-liquid intestinal obstruction, which helps to make a clear diagnosis.

3. Digital rectal examination

When the hernia is incarcerated, the fingers can touch the intestine from the abdominal cavity through the inner ring and into the inguinal canal. The examination must be compared with the healthy side. Digital rectal examination combined with abdominal percussion is of great value in distinguishing incarcerated hernia and other diseases in infants and young children.

Diagnosis of incarcerated inguinal hernia

Diagnosis can be made based on medical history, clinical symptoms, and related examinations.

Complications of incarcerated inguinal hernia

The main complication of incarcerated hernias is strangulation of the abdominal organs. If left untreated, it can develop into intestinal obstruction, intestinal necrosis, intestinal rupture, acute diffuse peritonitis, and toxic shock. It can cause death in severe cases.