Simultaneous Inguinal and Umbilical Hernia, Presentation of Generalized Abdominal Muscle Weakness: A Case Report

Abstract

The lifetime risk for inguinal hernia is 27% in males and 3% in females. Inguinal hernia is common among the elderly, having an incidence of approximately 13 per 1,000 individuals. Moreover, its global occurrence increased by 36% over the past three decades. Umbilical hernias are the third most common anterior abdominal wall defect and have an adult prevalence of 5-12%. This case report assesses the safety and efficacy of single-stage surgical repair in a patient presenting with concurrent inguinal and umbilical hernias. A 62-year-old male patient with a symptomatic right inguinal hernia and an incidentally detected umbilical hernia underwent concurrent Lichtenstein hernioplasty for the inguinal defect and a modified Mayo repair with mesh reinforcement for the umbilical hernia under spinal anesthesia. Total operative time was 80 minutes. Recovery after surgery was smooth, and he was discharged on the sixth postoperative day. At the 36-month follow-up, he remained asymptomatic, and no recurrence, chronic pain, or surgical site infection was demonstrated in either location. This satisfactory outcome thus attests that single-stage mesh repair under spinal anesthesia may be a feasible and resource-efficient approach. This consolidates patient care by requiring only one anesthetic event and one convalescence period, reducing the operational burden. Though promising, these results will need further validation through larger comparative studies that will firmly establish this approach as a superior alternative to staged repairs for selected patients.