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Get answers to your Hernia questions.
Femorocele; Enteromerocele; Crural hernia
Hernias generally get larger with time, and they usually do not go away on their own. Surgery may be done to repair a femoral hernia.
Surgery will relieve discomfort. Also, if the hernia is not treated, there is a risk of tissue getting stuck or trapped in the weak area (called incarceration). This tissue may die off if it remains incarerated for too long.
Often, a piece of plastic mesh is surgically placed to repair the defect in the abdominal wall.
The chances of a femoral hernia coming back after surgery are about 5 - 10%.
If the intestine or other tissue in the femoral hernia becomes stuck (incarcerated) or becomes gangrenous (strangulated), emergency surgery is needed.
Call your health care provider or local emergency number (911) or go to the emergency room right away if:
Call your health care provider for an appointment or advice if you have a bulge in the upper thigh next to the groin.
Malangoni MA, Rosen MJ, eds. Hernias. In: Townsend CM Jr., Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 44.
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