[Hernia surgery in urology: part 1: inguinal, femoral and umbilical hernias - fundamentals of clinical diagnostics and treatment].

Hernias are a common occurrence with correspondingly huge clinical and economic impacts on the healthcare system. The most common forms of hernia which need to be diagnosed and treated in routine urological work are inguinal and umbilical hernias. With the objective of reconstructing and stabilizing the inguinal canal there are the possibilities of open and minimally invasive surgery and both methods can be performed with suture or mesh repair. Indications for surgery of umbilical hernias are infrequent although this is possible with little effort under local anesthesia. This article presents an overview of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, diagnostics and therapy of inguinal, femoral and umbilical hernias.