Your muscles are usually strong enough to keep your intestines in their proper place. But sometimes, abdominal tissue can push through a weakened spot in your muscle. If this occurs in the wall of your femoral canal, it’s called a femoral hernia.

The femoral canal houses the femoral artery, smaller veins, and nerves. It’s located just below the inguinal ligament in the groin. A femoral hernia will appear as a bulge near the groin or thigh.

A femoral hernia may also be called a femorocele.

Women are more likely than men to suffer from a femoral hernia. Overall, femoral hernias are not common. Most hernias that affect the groin are inguinal hernias, and fewer than 3 percent of all hernias are femoral.

Most femoral hernias do not cause symptoms. However, they can occasionally lead to severe problems if the hernia obstructs and blocks blood flow to your intestines. This is called a strangulated hernia — it’s a medical emergency and requires immediate surgery.

The exact cause of femoral and other hernias are unknown most of the time. You may be born with a weakened area of the femoral canal, or the area may become weak over time.

Straining can contribute to the weakening of the muscle walls. Factors that can lead to overstraining include:

You may not even realize you have a femoral hernia in some cases. Small and moderate-sized hernias don’t usually cause any symptoms. In many cases, you may not even see the bulge of a small femoral hernia.

Large hernias may be more noticeable and can cause some discomfort. A bulge may be visible in the groin area near your upper thigh. The bulging may become worse and can cause pain when you stand up, lift heavy objects, or strain in any way. Femoral hernias are often located very close to the hip bone and as a result may cause hip pain.

Severe symptoms can signify that a femoral hernia is obstructing your intestines. This is a very serious condition called strangulation. Strangulation causes intestinal or bowel tissue to die, which can put your life in danger. This is considered a medical emergency. Severe symptoms of a femoral hernia include:

Call 911 and seek immediate medical attention if you suffer from these symptoms. If the hernia obstructs the intestines, blood flow to the intestines can be cut off. Emergency treatment can fix the hernia and save your life.

Your doctor will perform a physical examination by gently palpating, or touching, the area to determine if you have a femoral hernia. If the hernia is large, the bulging will most likely be felt.

Ultrasound of the abdominal and groin area can confirm the diagnosis or establish a diagnosis if suspicion of a femoral hernia is high but no bulge is evident on physical examination. Imaging technology can show the defect in the muscle wall, as well as the protruding tissue.

Femoral hernias that are small and asymptomatic may not require specific treatment. Your doctor might monitor your condition to see if symptoms progress. Moderate to large femoral hernias require surgical repair, especially if they’re causing any level of discomfort.

Surgical hernia repair is performed under general anesthesia. This means you will be asleep for the procedure and unable to feel pain. Femoral hernia repair can be done as either an open or laparoscopic surgery. An open procedure requires a larger incision and a longer recovery period. Laparoscopic surgery uses three to four keyhole-sized incisions that minimize loss of blood. The type of surgery chosen depends on a few factors, including:

  • the surgeon’s expertise
  • the size of the hernia and any anticipated complications
  • anticipated recovery time
  • cost

Laparoscopic surgery, for instance, involves less pain and scarring than open surgery, as well as a shorter time required for healing. However, it’s a more expensive procedure than open surgery.

In both surgeries, your surgeon will make incisions in your groin area to access the hernia. The intestine or other tissue protruding from the femoral area is returned to its proper position. The surgeon will sew the hole back together and may reinforce it with a piece of mesh. The mesh strengthens the wall of the canal. Some procedures called “tension-free repairs” are minimally invasive and don’t require the use of general anesthesia.

Femoral hernias are generally not life-threatening medical conditions.

Strangulation of the hernia can become life-threatening, however, and must be treated through emergency surgery. The British Hernia Centre estimates that the bowel will only survive for roughly 8 to 12 hours following strangulation, which makes it imperative to seek immediate medical attention if you have symptoms. The repair itself is very safe with little risk. Most people can return to light activities within two weeks. Most people fully recover within six weeks.

The recurrence of a femoral hernia is very low. The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom estimates that only 1 percent of people who’ve had a femoral hernia will have a recurring hernia.