Inguinal hernia during pregnancy
Sometimes you may have an inguinal hernia while pregnant. This can be caused by a stretching abdominal wall, in combination with growing weight and a weak spot in the abdominal wall. You may notice a bulge in the groin area, and / or a painful burning sensation. The doctor will then prescribe rest, and wait for delivery to take place. That is not a problem at all. The delivery should be performed in hospital, in case the inguinal hernia causes problems.
Inguinal hernia in your child
Children can suffer from (sometimes severe) pain in the groin area or have regular pressure to relieve themselves. The child can also become restless and fretful because of the pain and possibly eat and / or drink less.
In girls, in addition to the intestines, the ovaries can also end up in the protruding "bag". To prevent the intestines (or ovaries) getting stuck in the bag, it is necessary to close the tear surgically.
Treatment and operation
For the treatment of the inguinal hernia, the child is usually admitted for 1 or a few days, this can also depend on the child's age and any additional problems.
The operation is performed under general anesthesia. The open connection is closed by a cut in the groin. This cut is subcutaneously sutured with soluble sutures after the procedure so that they do not have to be removed. To ease the pain after the operation, the child often gets a local anesthetic in the groin during anesthesia.
When can your child go home again?
Your child can return home fairly quickly, a newborn baby should generally stay in the hospital for a little longer.
Premature babies may have to stay in a little longer for further observations.
If this goes well, the regular feeding schedule can be resumed quickly.
Possible complications
An inguinal hernia operation is a minor procedure, but complications may arise even in minor procedures. For example, bleeding or infection may occur in the wound area. Sometimes the testicular sack can swell strongly due to the accumulation of moisture. The testicles can also become trapped by scar tissue outside the scrotum. Some children can temporarily not walk due to the injection in the groin after the operation. Improvement must have occurred six hours after the operation. The chance that the inguinal hernia will return is very small.
When should you contact the doctor
Contact the doctor or the children's department immediately if you notice the following: