What Are the Different Types of Hernias?

Hernias happen when an organ penetrates the muscle or tissue wall that contains it, causing a bulge. This usually occurs when there’s a weakened area in the soft tissue or muscle covering the organ. While hernias are usually not life-threatening, using hernia meshes to repair them can result in medical complications. Currently, various mass tort lawyers are handling numerous hernia mesh cases all over the country.

Although hernias are not life-threatening, they can be debilitating and inconvenient. So, millions of patients readily turned to hernia meshes to repair their conditions. Unfortunately, hernia mesh came with numerous adverse side-effects that the patients never envisaged. As such, hernia meshes have become the object of numerous injury lawsuits.

If you’ve experienced hernia mesh complications, vast knowledge of hernia and its treatment techniques can help your condition. So, we’ve discussed the different types of hernias as well as alternatives to hernia mesh treatment in this article.

The Common Types of Hernias 

The following are the most common types of hernias:

  • Femoral Hernia 

The femoral hernia happens when an intra-abdominal tissue exploits a weakened spot in your femoral canal by pushing through it. This type of hernia is more common in women than men. While femoral hernias may not show any symptoms, they can cause complications that require emergency attention and surgery.

  • Epigastric Hernia 

Every human’s epigastric region is above the stomach and contains a portion of the liver, the duodenum, and adrenal glands. It also contains a portion of the stomach and spleen. An epigastric hernia occurs in that region and is pretty common in adults and children.

  • Umbilical Hernia 

As the name suggests, umbilical hernias happen near your belly button and are more common in children than adults. Common symptoms of umbilical hernia in children include a bulge near the navel and discoloration around the affected part. When the umbilical hernia isn’t managed properly, it can cause life-threatening intestinal complications.

  • Inguinal Hernia

In an inguinal hernia, a tissue penetrates a soft spot in the abdominal muscles and causes a bulge. There are two types of inguinal hernias — direct and indirect inguinal hernias. People living with inguinal hernias may notice pain in their groin or a burning sensation at the bulge.

  • Spigelian Hernia

Spigelian hernia is usually the result of a vulnerability in the Spigelian fascia. This type of hernia generally occurs barely below the belly button. Common symptoms of Spigelian hernia include abdominal pain and swelling, nausea, vomiting, and bloody stooling.

  • Incisional Hernia

The weak spot in an incisional hernia is due to a previous abdominal surgical incision. The most obvious sign of an incisional hernia is a bulge around the incision region. Other symptoms include abdominal pain, constipation, heartburn, fever, vomiting, etc. Incisional hernias can be reducible or irreducible.

Are There Viable Alternatives to Hernia Mesh?

Hernia mesh isn’t the only remedy for hernias. While medicines cannot treat hernias, there are other viable hernia mesh alternatives. Some of these alternatives require less surgery time and record less complicated rates.  They include the following:

  • Bassini 

Dr. Edoardo Bassini, an Italian surgeon, introduced Bassini hernia repair in 1887. Bassini performed this procedure by stitching muscles to ligaments. Although old, it’s still a viable technique for treating inguinal hernia. However, this procedure has also undergone some modifications.

  • Guarnieri 

Another Italian surgeon, Dr. Antonio Guarnieri, introduced this hernia repair method in 1988. Surgeons can perform Guarnieri surgery with or without a mesh.

  • Desarda

The Desarda hernia repair is Dr. Mohan Desarda’s brainchild. Introduced in 2001, this repair method is tension-free.

  • McVay/Cooper’s Ligament 

Dr. Chester McVay, an American, introduced this technique in 1942. It’s a great alternative treatment procedure for femoral hernias.

  • Shouldice

The Shouldice hernia repair, developed by the Canadian doctor, Edward Earleone, is one of the best alternatives to hernia mesh. Although a complex procedure, it yields great results and generally requires less recovery time.

Contact a Mass Tort Attorney Immediately!

Like there are numerous types of hernias, there are also various ways to treat them. However, if you’re already suffering complications from hernia mesh, you can get compensation for your pain. That’s where you need the experience and legal knowledge of mass tort lawyers like the ones at Rueb Stoller Daniel, LLP.

Our mass tort attorneys are always eager to fight for justice on behalf of our clients. Once we are sure you have a valid case, we’ll ensure you receive the compensation you deserve without any inconvenience. We’ve won millions of dollars in damages for clients like you and we can do the same for you. Contact us now for a free initial consultation.