Inguinal hernia in adults

An inguinal hernia occurs when abdominal or pelvic contents protrude through a dilated internal ring or attenuated inguinal floor in the inguinal canal.

Presents with visible or easily palpable swelling in the groin, often with discomfort during strenuous exercise or heavy lifting.

Complications are rare but include incarceration, bowel obstruction, and strangulation.

Diagnosis is usually clinical; imaging may be helpful where there is doubt about diagnosis, but also identifies many clinically insignificant apparent hernias.

Surgical repair remains the mainstay of therapy, although watchful waiting is reasonable in adults with minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic inguinal hernia.

An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of abdominal or pelvic contents through a dilated internal inguinal ring or attenuated inguinal floor into the inguinal canal and usually, but not always, out of the external inguinal ring, causing a visible or easily palpable bulge.