Prevalence and Incidence of Inguinal hernia

Incidence (annual) of Inguinal hernia:

500,000 cases (NIDDK)

Incidence Rate:

approx 1 in 544 or 0.18% or 500,000 people in USA [about data]

Incidence extrapolations for USA for Inguinal hernia:

499,999 per year, 41,666 per month, 9,615 per week, 1,369 per day, 57 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second.

Prevalence/Incidence of Inguinal hernia: Online Medical Books

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Inguinal hernia: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

An inguinal hernia may be indirect or direct. An indirect inguinal hernia, the more common form, results from weakness in the fascial margin of the internal inguinal ring. In an indirect hernia, abdominal viscera leave the abdomen through the inguinal ring and follow the spermatic cord (in males) or round ligament (in females); they emerge at the external ring and extend down the inguinal canal, commonly into the scrotum or labia. An indirect inguinal hernia may develop at any age, is more common in males, and is especially prevalent in infants younger than age 1. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 5 out of 100 children have inguinal hernias.

A direct inguinal hernia results from a weakness in the fascial floor of the inguinal canal. Instead of entering the canal through the internal ring, the hernia passes through the posterior inguinal wall, protrudes directly through the transverse fascia of the canal (in an area known as Hesselbach’s triangle), and comes out at the external ring.

In males, during the seventh month of gestation, the testicle normally descends into the scrotum, preceded by the peritoneal sac. If the sac closes improperly, it leaves an opening through which the intestine can slip. In either sex, a hernia can result from weak abdominal muscles (caused by congenital malformation, trauma, or aging) or increased intra-abdominal pressure (due to heavy lifting, pregnancy, obesity, or straining).

About 10% of people develop some type of hernia during their lifetime, and more than 500,000 hernia operations are performed in the United States each year. Hernias are seven times more common in males than in females.

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About prevalence and incidence statistics:

The term 'prevalence' of Inguinal hernia usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Inguinal hernia at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Inguinal hernia refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Inguinal hernia diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.