Dr Harsh Shah
MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Registered with Gujarat Medical Council, Reg. No. G-38738
Robotic Hernia Surgeon · Apollo Hospital, Bhat, Gandhinagar · Gota OPD, Ahmedabad
In short
Most people with a small groin hernia that does not hurt have time to plan. Some are even told they can wait. A femoral hernia is different. Surgeons usually advise repair soon after it is found.
This page explains why, how a femoral hernia is found, and what the repair involves.
The femoral canal is a small passage at the top of the thigh. Blood vessels to the leg run right next to it. A femoral hernia happens when fat or a loop of bowel pushes down into this canal.
The lump shows just below the groin crease, a little towards the inner thigh. An inguinal hernia, the more common kind, sits higher, above the crease.
The femoral canal has firm edges that do not stretch. When bowel slips in, it can get stuck. A stuck hernia can lose its blood supply. That is called strangulation, and it needs an emergency operation.
This happens far more often with femoral hernias than with inguinal ones. Many femoral hernias are first found only when they become trapped. That is the reason surgeons do not advise waiting.
Femoral hernias are more common in women, especially after the age of 50. A wider pelvis gives a wider canal. Pregnancy, constipation, a long-standing cough and heavy lifting add strain.
Men can get them too, but less often. In both sexes, inguinal hernias are still the more common type.
Femoral and inguinal hernia side by side
| Point | Femoral hernia | Inguinal hernia |
|---|---|---|
| Where the lump is | Just below the groin crease, top of the thigh | Above the groin crease, may reach the scrotum |
| Who gets it more | More common in women | Much more common in men |
| Size of the opening | Small and tight | Often wider |
| Risk of trapping bowel | Higher | Lower |
| Usual advice | Repair soon after it is found | Repair, or watch if small and not painful |
Told you have a femoral hernia, or a small lump at the top of your thigh? Bring your ultrasound report if you have one.
A femoral hernia is often small. In a person with some weight it can be hard to feel. It is easy to mistake for a swollen lymph gland at the top of the thigh.
Warning signs that need help the same day
Go to an emergency department if these happen. Do not wait for an OPD date.
The surgeon returns the fat or bowel to the belly and closes the opening, usually with a mesh. Planned repair is often done by keyhole or robotic surgery. This lets the surgeon see and cover the femoral and inguinal openings on the same side.
A planned operation is shorter and simpler than an emergency one. Most people go home the same day or the next day.
Usually not. Surgeons advise repair soon after a femoral hernia is found, even if it does not hurt, because it traps bowel more often than other groin hernias.
Yes. Women have a wider pelvis and a wider femoral canal. Even so, most groin hernias in women are still the inguinal type.
Both are in the groin. A femoral hernia sits lower, just below the groin crease, and pushes through a smaller, tighter opening.
Yes. A small, firm lump at the top of the thigh is easy to take for a lymph gland. An ultrasound usually tells them apart.
The bowel or fat is put back and the opening is closed, usually with a mesh. It can be done by open, keyhole or robotic surgery.
The main page on this site is robotic hernia surgery in Ahmedabad. These cover the neighbouring questions.
Where to find us
Dr Harsh Shah, MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Shah's Gastro, Cancer & Robotic Surgery Centre
Apollo Hospital, Bhat, Gandhinagar
Gota OPD, Ahmedabad
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