'abdominal wall'

Approximately one third of patients will develop an incisional hernia after abdominal surgery. An incisional hernia occurs at or in close proximity to a surgical incision through which intestine, organ or other tissue protrudes. Incisional hernias result from a weakening of the abdominal muscle due to a surgical incision. An incisional hernia can occur for a number of specific reasons; individuals who participate in excessive or premature physical activity after surgery, gain considerable weight, become pregnant or increase abdominal pressure in any other way before the incision is fully healed are especially at risk for an incisional hernia. Incisional hernias are most likely to occur within three to six months post-surgery but can happen at any time.

An inguinal hernia occurs when tissue, such as part of the intestine, protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles. The resulting bulge can be painful, especially when you cough, bend over or lift a heavy object. However, many hernias do not cause pain.

What is a hiatal hernia? A hiatal hernia occurs when the top of your stomach pushes up through an opening in your diaphragm into your chest. Your diaphragm is the muscle barrier that separates your abdominal cavity from your chest cavity. A hernia is when any organ or tissue pushes through a weakness in the tissue barrier that normally contains it. Hernias are common, and hiatal hernias are among the most common types. Hiatal hernias push through a preexisting weakness in your diaphragm — the opening where your esophagus passes through to connect to your stomach. Healthcare providers call this opening the esophageal hiatus, which is where the term, hiatal hernia, or hiatus hernia, comes from. Stress and strain can widen this opening over time. This condition usually develops slowly over many years