Femoral Hernia: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Femoral hernias occur when part of the abdomen--usually the small intestine--pushes through a weak part of the lower abdominal wall near the thigh. They account for three percent of hernias, according to Dr. Bret A. Nicks of Emedicine.com.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a femoral hernia include a lump in the upper thigh and groin pain--particularly when bending or lifting.

Diagnosis

• Doctors can usually diagnosis femoral hernias with a physical exam and rarely need testing, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Complications

• Femoral hernias carry a risk of becoming incarcerated (stuck) or strangulated (part of the bowel pushing through loses it blood supply and begins to die off). Symptoms include intense abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. This requires immediate surgical intervention.

Treatment

• A diagnosis of a femoral hernia usually indicates surgery is necessary to prevent complications from arising. It consists of pushing the displaced intestine back and placing a surgical mesh to cover the abdominal defect.

Outcome

• Surgical repair of femoral hernias usually addresses the problem successfully--hernias recur in only three percent of cases, according to the National Library of Medicine.