Is a Rupture and a Hernia the Same Thing?

Rupture and a Hernia

QUESTION: With the possibility of an operation in my future, I am trying to
get as much information as possible. Is a rupture and a hernia the same
thing? The doctor said I had a rupture and I want to know if it is advisable
to have it repaired.


ANSWER: There are many kinds of hernia which can occur within our body, but
when you use the word "rupture" it narrows it down to one specific area, the
groin, and a condition doctors normally call an "inguinal hernia." There are
really two kinds of inguinal hernia, direct or indirect, which describe the
route taken by a sac of intestines as it pushes its way down into the scrotum.

Hernias usually occurs when weakness develops in certain muscles located in
the lower abdominal wall. Surgical repair is most often recommended. Because
of the probability that this condition will progress and the possibility that
complications can occur, surgical correction is generally advised. If the
hernia becomes "strangulated", where the blood supply to the bowel located in
the hernia may be cut off, or "incarcerated", where the bowel becomes
imprisoned within the scrotum, the operations become much more difficult to
perform. These days, the repair of a simple inguinal hernia or rupture is
quite routine, and in many circumstances may not even require remaining in the
hospital overnight after surgery. You will be back on your feet and about
your business before you know it, and without the fear of having something
serious to contend with in the future.