abdominal hernia
Last reviewed 01/2018
An abdominal hernia is the protrusion of contents of the coelomic cavity through the wall that contains it, usually as a result of weakness in that wall. In the abdomen as elsewhere, this may be at a site of normal weakness, for example, a place where a vessel or viscus enters or leaves the wall.
In general hernia are:
- reducible
- have an expansile cough impulse
- occur at congenital or acquired weak spots in the abdominal wall
Diagnosis of a hernia is based on:
- site
- presence of reducibility and an expansile cough impulse
- when these signs are absent, the exclusion of other causes of a lump