What is the Difference Between Seroma and Hernia

The key difference between seroma and hernia is that seroma is a medical condition that occurs due to the accumulation of clear fluid under the skin near the site of a surgical incision, while hernia is a medical condition that occurs when an internal organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue.

Seroma and hernia are two medical conditions that are correlated. Seroma occurs due to the collection of serum under the surface of the skin. It develops due to surgical incisions that are made in the body. Moreover, seroma commonly occurs after a significant surgical procedure, such as a hernia repair. Hernia is a medical condition within the abdominal cavity. It occurs when an internal organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Seroma
3. What is Hernia
4. Similarities – Seroma and Hernia
5. Seroma vs Hernia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Seroma vs Hernia

What is Seroma?

Seroma is a medical condition that occurs when serum is accumulated under the skin near the site of a surgical incision. Seroma is not dangerous. But it can often cause pain and discomfort. A seroma can happen in an organ, tissue, or body cavity. Generally, a seroma can develop after 7 to 10 days after surgery. After surgery, many people are treated using various devices in order to drain out extra fluid while they heal. Seroma can happen after the drain comes out. Sometimes, a seroma happens even if people don’t have a drain.

Moreover, seroma is associated with surgeries such as breast cancer surgery, mastectomy, lumpectomy, lymph node removal, abdominoplasty, liposuction, and hernia surgery. The symptoms of a seroma may include a balloon-like swelling of the skin, a feeling of liquid or obvious movement under the surface of the skin, pain, and discomfort. Seroma can be diagnosed through physical examination and ultrasound tests. Furthermore, treatment for seroma is needle aspiration, which is the draining of the clear fluid with a needle.

What is Hernia?

A hernia is a medical condition that occurs when an internal organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue. Most hernias occur within the abdominal cavity. It usually occurs between the chest and the hips. There are different types of hernias, such as inguinal hernia, femoral hernia, umbilical hernia, hiatal hernia, incisional hernia, epigastric hernia, Spigelian hernia, and diaphragmatic hernia. Inguinal and femoral hernias are due to weakened muscles that may be present since birth, associated with aging, or repeated strains due to physical exertion, obesity, pregnancy, frequent coughing, and constipation. Adults experience umbilical hernia by straining the abdominal area, being overweight, heavy coughing, or after giving birth. A hiatal hernia may be due to the weakening of the diaphragm with age or pressure on the abdomen.

The symptoms of a hernia may include a noticeable lump or bulge that can be pushed back or disappear when lying down, swelling in the groin or scrotum, increased pain at the site of the bulge, increase in bulge size over time, pain while lifting, a dull aching sensation, a sense of feeling full, heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing, frequent regurgitation, and chest pain. Moreover, a hernia can be diagnosed through physical examination and CT scan. Furthermore, hernias are treated through surgeries like open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic hernia repair.

What are the Similarities Between Seroma and Hernia?

• Seroma and hernia are two medical conditions that are correlated.
• Seroma commonly occurs after a significant surgical procedure, such as a hernia repair.
• Both conditions are diagnosed through physical examination and imaging testing.
• Both conditions can occur in the abdominal area.
• They are treated with specific surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Seroma and Hernia?

Seroma is a medical condition that occurs when clear fluid is accumulated under the skin near the site of a surgical incision, while hernia is a medical condition that occurs when an internal organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue. Thus, this is the key difference between seroma and hernia. Furthermore, seroma is caused after surgery when devices are used in order to drain out extra fluid. On the other hand, the hernia is caused due weakened muscles that may be present since birth, associated with aging or repeated strains due to physical exertion, obesity, pregnancy, frequent coughing, constipation, straining the abdominal area, being overweight, heavy coughing or after giving birth, weakening of diaphragm with age or pressure on the abdomen.

The below infographic presents the differences between seroma and hernia in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Seroma vs Hernia

Seroma and hernia are two medical conditions that are correlated. Seroma can be caused after a significant surgical procedure such as a hernia repair. In seroma, a clear fluid is accumulated under the skin near the site of a surgical incision, while in a hernia, an internal organ pushes through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue. So, this summarizes the difference between seroma and hernia.

Reference:

1. Holland, Kimberly. “Seroma: Causes, Treatment, and More.” Healthline, Healthline Media.
2. “Hernia: Types, Treatments, Symptoms, Causes & Prevention.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “WIRA-Wiki-GH-010-Seroma-sonography-healing-with-wIRA” By Sonographic pictures taken by Dr. Michael Paulus, Herzogenaurach, Germany – Mark Hartel, Peter Illing, James B Mercer, Jürgen Lademann, Georg Daeschlein, Gerd Hoffmann: Therapy of acute wounds with water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) (review). GMS Krankenhaushyg Interdiszip. 2007;2(2):Doc53. PDF full text and shtml full text. (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Inguinal Hernia Repair” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia