Schematic Drawings, Types (Inguinal Hernia)

swel_4a_n.jpg: Illustration showing the characteristics of an inguinal hernia in childhood. At the top right there is part of the abdominal cavity with intestinal loops. Red: Inguinal channel. Blue: Course of the groin ligament. Medially to the right side of the patient: Continuation and protrusion of the processus vaginalis emerging from the inguinal channel. It is an inguinal hernia which is congenital (the process is not closing during development), indirect (the peritoneal protrusion follows along the whole length of the inguinal channel) and lateral (the protrusion starts laterally to the epigastric vessels). In the illustration, parts of the intestine have entered the processus vaginalis which acts as hernia sac, and left the external inguinal ring. swel_4b_n.jpg: Normal course of involution of the processus vaginalis, and types of congenital inguinal hernias. From left to right: Normal closure of the processus vaginalis which remains open during early development. The process remains open up to the testis; after the protrusion of intestinal content the less frequent inguinoscrotal hernia becomes manifest. The process closes between the part which remains open and the scrotum across a variable distance = frequent inguinal hernia (M. Bettex).