Abdominal wall hernia

If the hernia contents slip back into the abdominal cavity spontaneously or during manipulation, this is referred to as a reducible hernia. If the contents of the fracture cannot be reduced and there is severe pain, an incarceration must be assumed, which corresponds to a surgical emergency situation.

Time of treatment

Spontaneous healing of a hernia is not to be expected in adulthood. The operation should be performed as long as the symptoms are minor and before an incarceration occurs.

Rare hernias

Various abdominal wall hernias occur very rarely and are therefore often not diagnosed for a long time.

This includes:

• the mirror hernia which occurs in the lower abdomen at the outer edge of the straight abdominal muscles
• obturator hernia, which forms in the area of a gap in the pelvis filled with muscles
• perineal hernia in the area of the pelvic floor
• Petit hernia in the area of the flank above the pelvic bone