F4 Femoral Hernia

A femoral hernia is a (rare) herniation of extraperitoneal fat or a viscus (bowel or bladder) through the femoral canal in children. The femoral vein, artery and nerve are lateral to the hernia, although the hernia may sometimes protrude and overly these structures. Many approaches have been described. If there is risk of incarceration or strangulation then a suprainguinal, extraperitoneal approach is used. (This is described in the Chap. F2, ‘Inguinal Hernia and Ligation of Patent Processus Vaginalis’). The commonest approach however is directly over the hernia mass using an infrainguinal approach. This approach is now described