Femoral hernia

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Femoral hernia

Inguinal hernia

Femorocele; Enteromerocele; Crural hernia

Hernias generally get larger with time, and they usually do not go away on their own. Surgery may be done to repair a femoral hernia.

Surgery will relieve discomfort. Also, if the hernia is not treated, there is a risk of tissue getting stuck or trapped in the weak area (called incarceration). This tissue may die off if it remains incarerated for too long.

Often, a piece of plastic mesh is surgically placed to repair the defect in the abdominal wall.

The chances of a femoral hernia coming back after surgery are about 5 - 10%.

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If the intestine or other tissue in the femoral hernia becomes stuck (incarcerated) or becomes gangrenous (strangulated), emergency surgery is needed.

Call your health care provider or local emergency number (911) or go to the emergency room right away if:

• You have a painful hernia that cannot be pushed back into the abdomen using gentle pressure.
• You develop a painful hernia along with nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.
• Your hernia becomes red, purple, dark, or discolored.

Call your health care provider for an appointment or advice if you have a bulge in the upper thigh next to the groin.

Review Date: 09/12/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, General Surgery practice specializing in breast cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).