Fifty five years old female patient came to me with swelling in Umbilical region since two Years. She had no pain initially hence she Ignored it. As swelling increase, she started getting mild pain and one day she landed up in emergency with severe pain & vomiting. She described that her pain was like delivery pain – wave pattern of severe pain due to intestines trapped in the hernia.
Two option of emergency surgery – open or Laproscopic (key hole) surgery were given to patient. She choose to undergo Laproscopic Surgery as that is relatively painless during post operative period and also the scar is cosmetic.
Since she was operated very soon after the onset of pain, her intestines were saved from becoming gangrenous & she recovered well.
A hernia should not be ignored even if it is not giving rise to any symptoms. Its always better to get it operated in early stage rather then come with life threatening emergency.