What are dangerous hernias of the spine and abdominal cavity

A hernia is a constantly developing disease that is dangerous in its complications. Sometimes this pathology does not make itself felt for a long time, steadily destroying organs that are amenable to constant compression.

The essence of the danger of a hernia is that over a long period, pathological bulging is constantly, one way or another, in contact with neighboring organs, squeezing them, having a destructive effect on them.

The organ, in turn, succumbing to destructive influence, over time is subject to destruction and the loss of a certain range of its functions, which leads to a disruption in the activity of the entire body system. Complications of hernia are best disassembled, starting from its location.

Complications of spinal hernias

At the root of the aggravating condition lies the effect of a hernia on the spinal cord. The latter, in turn, is divided into departments, the lesions of which have characteristic signs.

1. Lumbar hernia.

Complications of a lumbar hernia include:

1. Lumbodynia is a condition characterized by constant dull pain that usually occurs over several days, but not suddenly. Pain also appears after severe hypothermia or excessive physical exertion.
2. Lumbago is a sharp pain in the lumbar region. It makes any movement difficult, and most often makes itself felt after power loads.
3. lumbar ischialgia - chronic low back pain that spreads to the lower extremities, touching the sciatic nerve, which runs in the pelvis.
4. Cauda equina syndrome - characterized by pain in the lumbar region. Pain also extends to one or both legs, especially to the back of the thigh. Also, this syndrome is accompanied by violations of sexual function, such as: decreased libido, impaired erectile function. Running cauda equina syndrome is formidable with paralysis of the lower extremities.

2. Consequences of a hernia of the neck.

The cervical spine starts from the first to the seventh cervical vertebrae.

Complications of a hernia in this area include the following phenomena:

1. Cervicalgia is a sharp shooting pain in the neck. Also, pain is accompanied by pulsation and tingling of the skin, the inability to turn the head to the side.
2. Cervicobrachialgia is also pain in the neck, but spreading to the scalp and upper limbs.
3. Chronic headaches.

3. Hernia of the thoracic spine.

The thoracic spine is located between the cervical and lumbar, includes 12 thoracic vertebrae.

This department has the following complications:

1. Thoracolgia is a pain syndrome in the thoracic region. Caused by compression of the intercostal nerves.
2. Intercostal neuralgia - also manifests itself as pain in the thoracic region, but numbness of the skin is added. Why is a sacral hernia dangerous:

       4. Why is sacral hernia dangerous?

Consequences:

• rapid and sudden paralysis of the lower extremities;
• in women - failure and violation of the menstrual cycle;
• malnutrition of the skin in this department - the skin can peel off;
• shooting pains;
• chronic pain in the buttocks;
• numbness of the legs and pelvis.

In addition to the specific consequences of hernias, there are also general manifestations:

• chronic fatigue, irritability;
• deterioration of memory and attention;
• sleep disturbance;
• weakening of the muscles of the upper and lower extremities.

 

Classification of complications of spinal hernias depending on the period of surgery:

1. The operating period (directly the time of surgery) is formidable with such complications:

• nerve fiber damage , in the process of removing a hernia, surgeons work not only with the protrusion itself, but also with adjacent nerves that can be damaged, this can lead to numbness, constant weakness;
• spinal meningitis is a condition in which infection of the cerebrospinal fluid and the membranes covering the structure of the nervous system occurs.

2. Postoperative period:

• infection, any surgical intervention increases the risk of infection;
• repeated hernias, the chance of their occurrence is equal to 10-15%. Most often, the reverse occurrence of a hernia occurs in the first two months after surgery;
• disk damage - osteochondrosis.

Complications of abdominal hernias

Another cluster is the consequences of abdominal hernias.

These include:

1. Infringement.

This term refers to the sudden squeezing of the contents of the hernia sac at the gate, followed by a violation of the function of the organ located directly in the hernia. Most often, this complication occurs in middle-aged and elderly people. Often, the intestines and the greater omentum are susceptible to infringement.

Infringement is divided into several subspecies:

1. Elastic . It is formed when there is a sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure as a result of a strong load on the abdominal muscles or coughing. As a result of this, the hernial sac goes beyond the boundaries even more.
2. Fecal . The elderly are the most affected by this complication. It is formed against the background of the accumulation of a large amount of feces in the intestinal lumen. This leads to compression of the intestinal tract.
3. Retrograde . The small intestine lends itself to such a complication if there are two or more of its loops in the hernial sac. With an ordinary examination of the patient, this condition is not detected. Doctors diagnose retrograde strangulation during surgery.
4. Parietal . It is formed in the hernial ring.
5. Infringement of the bladder . This type of complication is accompanied by frequent and painful urination.

Infringement, as a phenomenon, can lead to other aggravating situations, such as phlegmon or necrosis. As a result of the fact that the contents of the bag succumbed to pinching, the organs cease to participate in the general blood circulation.

The contents of the bag do not receive oxygen and nutrients, resulting in a violation of tissue trophism and their gradual destruction. Phlegmon is a purulent inflammation of adipose tissue. This condition requires immediate surgical intervention.

2.Inflammation of a hernia.

This condition occurs acutely, entails severe pain, vomiting, fever. Inflammation occurs against the background of the invasion of infection, both from the abdominal cavity and from the skin.

3.Coprostasis.

This is one of the complications, characterized by the stagnation of a large amount of feces in the intestines that are in the hernial sac. This condition is associated with the gradual development of impaired patency.

This complication has the following symptoms:

• periodic constipation;
• severe pain in the abdomen;
• nausea;
• sometimes vomiting.

Common complications that hernias can succumb to include:

1. Injury.

Regardless of the location of the bulge, hernias may be subject to traumatic injury. This complication can be open and closed. In the first case, the diagnosis does not cause difficulties, since an open hernia injury is externally manifested by an increase in volume, swelling, minor bruising, and a change in skin color towards a bluish color. A closed injury outwardly differs from an open minimal clinical picture. But it is more dangerous by the presence of a hematoma, rupture of the viscera of the hernial sac, thrombosis. In this case, it is necessary to urgently hospitalize the patient and show the doctor.

2. Irreducible hernia.

Against the background of a number of factors, sometimes a hernia cannot be corrected. Most often this happens when the inner walls of the bag grow together with its contents. Femoral, umbilical and inguinal hernias are in the first place due to the inability to set the contents back.

With irreducible hernias of the inguinal region, patients are concerned about frequent urination. It is accompanied by painful sensations. In the future, the clinical picture is observed stagnation of feces. Common symptoms of this complication include weakness, malaise, and rapid loss of working capacity.

3. Tumors of the sac and its contents.

In hernia surgery, doctors may encounter neoplasms of the hernial sac and the organs that it contains. Among these tumors, lipomas and fibromas are most common. Malignant tumors such as carcinomas and sarcomas also occur.

4. Tuberculosis hernia.

This complication is accompanied by moderate pain and irreducibility of hernias. During the examination, the doctor may find hard seals in the area of ​​​​bulging.

This complication is manifested by other signs:

• rapid weight loss;
• chronic fatigue;
• symptoms of intoxication: headache, fever of an indeterminate nature.