A hernia can happen when there is a weakness or defect in the wall of the abdomen or groin. Intestines or nearby tissues may move from their usual location and push through the weakness in the wall. This can cause a hernia bulge you may see or feel. A hernia may be present at birth. Or it may be caused by the wear and tear of daily living.

Patients may now be accompanied by visitors. Read our updated visitor policy. A hernia occurs when an internal organ or tissue protrudes or pushes through a hole or weakened part of muscle. This most often occurs in the abdomen or groin.

Each year, in the United States alone, hundreds of thousands of patients undergo various types of abdominal wall hernia surgery. Many of these patients initially present to the emergency department ED with complaints referable to their hernia — pain, worry about the appearance of their hernia, or more urgent or emergent concerns related to hernia incarceration or strangulation. Scar is never as strong as original tissue, so patients who have had surgery for abdominal wall hernias continue to have a lifetime risk for recurrence. These recurrent hernia patients may present to the ED as well. Patients having undergone hernia surgery also present to the ED with complications in the immediate postoperative period.

A hernia is a common condition that occurs when part of an internal organ or tissue bulges through a muscle. Hernias can occur around the belly button, through a surgical scar, in the diaphragm, or in the groin the area between the abdomen and the thigh on both sides of the body. An inguinal hernia occurs when the intestines or fat from the abdomen bulge through the lower abdominal wall into the inguinal, or groin, area.