Glossary

Explanation of medical terms

Analgesic therapy
Pain therapy
Differential diagnosis
A different possible or probable cause of the patients discomfort.
Fascia transversalis
A thin layer of the frontal abdomen. Anatomically positioned between the preperitoneal adipose tissue and the transverse abdominal muscle. It forms the back layer of the inguinal canal and contains an opening, the so called abdominal inguinal ring, through which the spermatic cord runs. If thinned out or bulged, the layer can cause Gilmore’'s groin (soft groin) and hernia.
Flamingo view x-ray
Stress view of the groin area. The patient stands on each leg in turn with the groin area centered.
Insertional tendinopathy
An inflammation of the muscle at the point where it attaches to a bone.
Inspection
Physical examination
Laparoscopic surgery
(or MIS – minimally invasive surgery)
A modern technique allowing surgical procedures through very small incisions in the skin. Opposed to common belief, “minimally” invasive does not describe the extend of an operation but merely describes the surgical access required for the procedure.
MRI examination (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
A medical imaging technique in radiology used to visualize a very detailed picture of internal structures of the body. This allows an evaluation of organs and different tissues including their abnormal changes.
Processus vaginalis testis
A bulging of the abdominal membrane (peritoneum) that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity. This can occur during descent of the testicles from the abdomen into the scrotum in early developmental stages. Normally the bulging disappears after completion of the testicle descent. If the processus vaginalis testis persists a lateral congenital hernia is apparent and intestinal content can protrude far into the groin region or even the scrotum.
Recurrence rate
Amount of patients that have reoccurring hernia, usually calculated in relation to 100 treated patients.
Scintigraphy
A diagnostic test in nuclear medicine. A diagnostic test in which a two-dimensional picture of a body radiation source is obtained through the use of internal radioisotopes. This method allows the detection of inflammation processes.
TEP
The TEP method is an alternative surgical minimal invasive method to treat inguinal hernia. As opposed to the TAPP technique a net is inserted into an artificially created space between abdominal membrane and adipose tissue without fixation.