Femoral Hernia

What is a femoral hernia?

Femoral hernias are a relatively rare type of hernia that occurs below the groin crease on the anterior thigh. These hernias are far more common in females and are typically seen later in life. A femoral hernia may become incarcerated (trapped). If untreated, an incarcerated hernia may progress to a strangulated hernia (one in which the blood supply has been cut off).

If a femoral hernia becomes incarcerated and progresses into a strangulated hernia, the symptoms are more severe. Symptoms of a strangulated hernia include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Severe abdominal pain

Treating a femoral hernia

Leaving a femoral hernia untreated is risky. They are repaired with either conventional open surgery or minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgical techniques. Most hernias can be repaired with laparoscopic surgery, which is a more appealing option to most patients because of the following advantages:

• Quicker recovery time
• Decreased length of hospital stay
• A quicker return to normal activities
• Fewer incidences of hernia recurrence
• Fewer infections

Because of the severity of symptoms for a femoral hernia that has become incarcerated or strangulated, they require urgent evaluation and may require emergency surgery.