Groin hernias presenting as emergency in adults and its outcome, A prospective study

Aims and Objectives: 1. To study emergency presentation of groin hernias and its outcome 2. To study about various Acute surgical emergencies in groin hernia 4. To study various symptoms of presentation and complication 5. To study age and sex incidence 6. To study types of inguinal hernia that presented as acute emergency 7. To study the laterality among cases 8. To study content of hernial sac 9. To study duration of hernia before acute presentation 10. To study the type of surgery done Materials and Methods: Study design: Prospective study Study centre: Department Of General Surgery, Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India Study period: SEPTEMBER 2014 to SEPTEMBER 2015 Duration of study: 12 months Total number of cases studied: 47 Inclusion criteria: 1. Both sex, with age >18 years, 2. Incarcerated and strangulated inguinal and femoral hernias , recurrent irreducible inguinal hernias 3. Cases which were regular for post treatment follow-up. 4. Patients willing to be part of this study. Exclusion criteria: 1. Age <18 years 2. Ventral and incisional hernias 3. Cases which did not come for regular follow-up and 4. Patients not willing to be part of this study. Conclusion: Complicated groin hernias has been associated with increased mortality and morbidity and hence elective repair of hernia should be done once it is diagnosed. Even if it presents as emergency it should be treated surgically as early as possible to avoid grave complications like bowel gangrene, anastomotic leak, iliostomies, septicemia and even death. Incarcerated hernias should be operated in less than 12 hrs of presentation and strangulated hernia on an emergency basis to prevent prolonged morbidity and mortality.