Guide To The Causes, Risk Factors, And Complications Of An Inguinal Hernia

Incarcerated Hernia

A severe complication of an inguinal hernia is an incarcerated hernia or a region of the abdominal tissue or intestine that becomes entrapped in a hernial sac. An incarcerated hernia cannot be easily pushed back into place and causes the intestinal tissue to become compressed. A compressed intestine does not allow for the passage of stool or obstructs the movement of stool through the individual's digestive tract. Bowel obstruction from an incarcerated hernia causes the patient to experience symptoms of nausea, vomiting, intense and severe pain, redness, swelling at the hernia site, bloating, and an inability to pass gas. If the compression of the intestine becomes worse, the incarcerated hernia can progress into a strangulated hernia where blood supply becomes cut off from the intestine. When blood cannot reach a region of the intestine, the cells do not get the oxygen required to survive. A strangulated hernia is a life-threatening complication of an inguinal hernia that requires immediate medical attention.