ABDOMINAL HERNIA

ABDOMINAL HERNIA

e A hernia is an abnormal protrusion of an organ or tissue through an opening in the layer that normally con�nes it. There are many varieties of hernia arising through areas of weakness in the abdominal wall. Because they ‘push’ from the inside to the outside, an abdominal hernia takes with it all the coverings of the abdominal wall, although they may be - thinned and attenuated. However, not all abdominal hernias have a peritoneal sac: many epigastric hernias, for example, arise in the interstitial layers and only draw peritoneum into the protrusion as a secondary phenomenon when they become ) and larger.

Figure 64.2 Divarication of the recti. Note a coexisting small umbilical hernia.