Question

A 38-year-old man presents with a 2-day history of a mass and severe pain in his scrotum. Physical examination reveals that his right testicle appears much larger than his left. On palpation, you note a small hole in his inguinal canal, and you are unable to place the contents into the canal. The contents of the hernia appear ischemic. What is the best description of the hernia?

1 Reducible
2 Recurrent
3. Irreducible
4 Strangulated
5 Incarcerated

Answer 1

The hernia described, with ischemic contents and inability to reduce, is best classified as a strangulated hernia, which requires emergency medical intervention.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best description of the hernia in question, where the contents appear ischemic and cannot be pushed back into the inguinal canal, is strangulated. A strangulated hernia is a serious condition where the blood supply to the herniated tissue is cut off, leading to tissue death if not treated urgently. The presence of pain and the inability to reduce the hernia back into the canal are indicative of strangulation, which differs from reducible, recurrent, or incarcerated hernias, although incarceration often precedes strangulation.