Clinical Presentation (Inguinal Hernia), Clinical Presentation (Umbilical Hernia)

swel_01a_n.jpg and swel_01b_n.jpg: Characteristic clinical presentation of a crying male infant with swelling of the right groin on the view from the front and from the left side. In comparison to the normal left groin there is a longitudinal and oval swelling which follows along the right region of the groin and which has a normal color of the overlying skin. It is a typical right inguinal hernia of a male infant. By protrusion of intestine, omentum and other structures into the open processus vaginalis the inguinal hernia becomes clinically manifest; in this age group there is mostly a congenital (indirect or lateral) inguinal hernia. The frequent crying may be the cause as well as the result of inguinal hernia (compare etiology, clinical presentation and differential diagnosis). In fact, the patients suffer from the repeated protrusion of the inguinal hernia, and a postponement of surgery is not justified. swel_03_n.jpg: 1-year-old boy with a mass of the size of a prune in the region of the navel. A navel is not recognizable. The skin of the navel ground is eventrated like a mushroom, and very thin. The diagnosis is a large umbilical hernia. A spontaneous recovery can not be expected due to the size of the hernia and the age of the patient. A hernia plasty is necessary with skin resection.