Epigastric Hernia Treatment in Thailand
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What is an Epigastric Hernia?
An epigastric hernia is a type of abdominal wall hernia that develops through a weakness or defect in the upper midline of the abdominal wall, between the lower end of the breastbone and the umbilicus. The hernia may contain preperitoneal fat and, less commonly, abdominal organs or bowel when the defect is larger. It may appear as a small bulge that becomes more noticeable when you stand, cough, strain, or exercise. Some epigastric hernias cause no symptoms, while others can lead to pain, tenderness, pressure, or complications such as incarceration or strangulation.
What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?
Timely evaluation helps determine the size and location of the abdominal wall defect, whether the hernia is reducible, and whether symptoms or complications are present. Small, asymptomatic epigastric hernias may be monitored, while painful, enlarging, or functionally troublesome hernias may require elective repair. Sudden severe pain, vomiting, abdominal distension, or a firm hernia that cannot be pushed back may indicate incarceration or strangulation and requires urgent medical assessment.
What are the Common Symptoms of an Epigastric Hernia?
- A visible or palpable lump in the upper middle abdomen
- A bulge that becomes more prominent while standing, coughing, or straining
- Pain or tenderness at the hernia site
- A feeling of pressure or pulling in the upper abdomen
- Discomfort during lifting, exercise, or other physical activity
- Increasing size of the abdominal bulge
- Local sensitivity around the hernia
- Cosmetic concerns related to the abdominal contour
- Nausea or vomiting when complications occur
- Severe abdominal pain or inability to reduce the hernia when incarceration or strangulation develops
Causes and Risk Factors of Epigastric Hernia
Causes
- A defect or weakness in the linea alba, the fibrous tissue running along the midline of the abdomen
- Protrusion of preperitoneal fat through a small defect in the upper abdominal wall
- A congenital or developmental weakness in the abdominal wall in some patients
- Enlargement of an existing abdominal wall defect over time
Risk Factors
- Obesity or increased abdominal pressure
- Chronic coughing or respiratory conditions
- Chronic constipation and repeated straining
- Repeated activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure
- Connective-tissue disorders or impaired abdominal wall strength
- Pregnancy, which can increase abdominal pressure
- Previous abdominal surgery or trauma, which may contribute to a different type of abdominal wall hernia
Latest Research and Technologies in the Treatment of Epigastric Hernia in UAE
- Laparoscopic or other minimally invasive techniques may be considered for larger defects, multiple hernias, or patients at increased risk of wound complications. Robot-assisted and advanced extraperitoneal repair techniques are available in some specialist centres, but evidence does not establish that they are superior for every epigastric hernia. In UAE, access to these procedures depends on the hospital, surgical expertise, and individual treatment needs.
Treatment options for Epigastric Hernia
Open Hernia Repair: Open repair involves exposing the abdominal wall defect and closing or reinforcing it, often with mesh depending on defect size and patient factors. For many symptomatic primary epigastric hernias, an open preperitoneal mesh repair is an established approach.
Laparoscopic Repair : Minimally invasive approaches use small incisions and specialised instruments to repair and reinforce the abdominal wall. They may be considered for selected larger defects, multiple defects, recurrent hernias, or patients in whom minimising wound complications is particularly important.
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Emergency Hernia Repair: If the hernia becomes incarcerated or strangulated, emergency surgical treatment may be required. The surgical approach depends on the patient's stability, bowel involvement, defect characteristics, and contamination level.
- Clinical assessment:
- Medical History: Evaluation includes the duration and progression of the abdominal bulge, pain or tenderness, changes with coughing or straining, previous abdominal surgery or trauma, bowel symptoms, physical activity, pregnancy history, and relevant medical conditions.
- Physical Examination: The clinician examines the abdomen while the patient is standing and lying down.
- Assessment for Complications: The clinician evaluates for incarceration, strangulation, bowel obstruction, severe tenderness, skin changes, vomiting, abdominal distension, and inability to pass stool or gas.
- Preoperative Assessment: Patients considered for surgery may undergo assessment of general health, nutritional status, cardiovascular and respiratory fitness, weight, and relevant medical conditions.
- Imaging Tests:
- Ultrasound: Can help identify small or occult epigastric hernias and may allow dynamic assessment during coughing or straining.
- CT Scan: Provides detailed information about the abdominal wall defect, its contents, surrounding anatomy, and other abdominal conditions and may be useful for complex or uncertain cases.
- MRI: May be used selectively when further soft-tissue or abdominal wall assessment is required or when radiation exposure is undesirable.
- Dynamic Imaging: Ultrasound or MRI performed with Valsalva may help detect small or intermittently visible hernias.
MediRehab (a chain of Rehab centres, part of MediGence) provides comprehensive rehabilitation services designed to support Incisional Hernia patients in UAE. These Services include:
- Early Mobilisation: Gentle walking and movement are generally encouraged after hernia repair as tolerated and according to the surgeon's advice.
- Gradual Activity Progression: Daily activities can usually be increased progressively while avoiding excessive strain during the initial healing period.
- Abdominal Wall Rehabilitation: Selected patients may benefit from physiotherapy focused on posture, breathing, core control, and gradual restoration of abdominal wall function.
- Medicines cannot close or permanently repair an epigastric hernia. Pain-relieving medicines may be used for temporary symptom control when appropriate. Treatment of conditions that increase abdominal pressure, such as chronic cough or constipation, may help reduce symptoms. Weight management and control of associated medical conditions may also improve surgical readiness. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infection, not the hernia itself.
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Hospitals for Epigastric Hernia in Thailand
Piyavate Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand
Piyavate Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:
Medicine Centre: Piyavate Hospital provides advanced holistic treatment for their patients. They offer a complete range of services and physicians that specialize in various fields like the endocrine system, the nervous system, kidney function, cardiovascular care, respiratory and digestive system. They pride themselves for the familial care that they provide to their patients.
Fertility and In-Vitro Fertilization Centre: Helping the couples who walk into the Piyavate Hospital to achieve their dream of having a family. They have a medical team that specializes in male and female fertility. They offer consultation services, fertility check-up for both men and women and complete IVF services. They have advanced IVF cycle treatment facilities that offer a high rate of success.
Bone and Joint Institute: Piyavate Hospital houses one of the frontrunners in Orthopaedic health care in all of SouthEast Asia. They offer a wide range of services and surgeries in their bone and joint institute that include hand surgery, hip and knee replacement surgery, spinal cord surgery, upper extremity surgery, arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine.
Eye and Lasik Centre: Piyavate Hospital is fully equipped with the latest and most advanced technology for eye care and houses highly skilled ophthalmologists, sub-specialists and qualified nurses.
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre: One of the first hospitals to be equipped with the Hybrid Assistive Limb technology that will help a neurologically challenged patient to control the rehabilitation robot limb with a signal from their brain. The Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre at Piyavate Hospital uses this system encourage patients to regain muscle memory to walk and function normally.
Amenities for Patient’s Family:
Piyavate Hospital also offers additional apartment facilities to house the kin of the patients who come to visit them from distant places. A restaurant, a flower shop and a café are a few of the other amenities provided by the hospital.
These are the most popular services offered by the Piyavate Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. They also provide a plethora of other medical services that are listed below:
Diabetic Foot Centre
Check-up centre
Urology Centre
Heart Institute
Paediatric Centre
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre
Surgery Centre
Ear Nose Throat Centre
Haemodialysis Centre
Dental Centre
X-Ray Centre
Gastroenterology Centre
Cancer Centre
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Emergency Services and Centre
Tele-medicine
Sukumvit Hospital, Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand
- Sukumvit Hospital has provided a comprehensive range of healthcare services since 1977. It is committed to providing patient-centred care by combining advanced medical technologies and employing highly skilled, multi-specialised physicians to ensure that each patient receives high-quality treatment across all the various areas of medicine offered at the facility. They offer modern diagnostics, minimally invasive surgical procedures, rehabilitation, emergency services, and a full array of international patient services, while maintaining stringent standards for patient safety and personalised healthcare.
Sikarin Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand
Apart from in-detail treatment procedures available, Sikarin Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand has a wide variety of facilities available for International Patients. Some of the facilities which are provided by them are Airport Transfer, Choice of Meals, Interpreter, SIM, TV inside room. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:
- Sikarin Hospital has a 258-bed capacity.
- The hospital caters to the healthcare needs of both local and international patients.
- Dedicated and skilled, experienced healthcare professionals are the strength of the organization.
It has also received many awards and certifications and some of them are:
- APSIC CSSD Center of Excellence Award (2017-18)
- Accreditation by the Joint Commission International
- HA-Hospital/Healthcare Accreditation
- HACCP Certificate of Registration
- The Best Under a Billion Award
- ISO 14001 Environment Management System
- ISO 9001 Quality Management System
The various clinics and centers of Sikarin Hospital are as follows:
- Pediatric Institute
- Orthopedic Institute
- Dental Center
- Health Check-up Center
- Heart Disease Center
- Cerebral and Nervous System Center
- Internal Medicine Clinic
- Diagnostic Radiology Center
- Diagnostic Laboratory
- Endoscopic Surgery Center
- International Medical Center
- Emergency Medical Center
- Sikarin Beauty Center
- Eye Center
- Rehabilitation Center
- Women’s Health Center
- Ear, Nose and Throat Center
- Specialized Internal Medicine Center
- Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases
The medical technology present in Sikarin Hospital is outlined here:
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) magnetic resonance imaging
- Hybrid Operating Room
- Endoscopic Surgery - Gastrointestinal medical technology with tiny capsules
- S.R. Laboratory
- Cardiac Catheterization Lab
- Dental Operating Microscope, an innovative endoscopic root canal treatment
- 128-Slice CT Scan
- ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH OP 3D oral X-ray machine
- Digital Mammogram
- Optical Coherence Tomography
- INFRARED (IR) IMAGING Surgical Technology “Cure Cancer” – Direct, Accurate, Fast
- 3D endoscopic surgery technology
- Laparoscopic Surgery
- Dental Aerosol Suction Dental Intraoral Aerosol Remover
- Comprehensive Dental Center
- iTeroElement 5D
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Why Choose UAE for Epigastric Hernia Treatment?
- Access to Hernia Surgeons: Selected Thai hospitals provide consultations and surgical treatment for epigastric and other primary ventral hernias. Patients should verify the surgeon's specific experience with the required procedure.
- Diagnostic Facilities: Depending on the hospital, investigations may include ultrasound and CT, with MRI available for selected cases requiring additional assessment.
- Surgical Treatment Options: Some centres offer open and laparoscopic hernia repair, mesh reinforcement, and robot-assisted procedures where clinically appropriate.
- Coordinated Perioperative Care: Patients may receive coordinated care from surgeons, anaesthesiologists, nurses, and rehabilitation professionals based on their needs.
- International Patient Support: Several hospitals may provide medical-record reviews, specialist coordination, appointment scheduling, interpretation, accommodation assistance, and follow-up arrangements. Available services vary by hospital.
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Author
Alvina Hasan
Alvina Hasan is a dedicated medical researcher and scientific writer with a strong foundation in pharmaceutical sciences. She holds a B.Pharm from Jamia Hamdard University and an M.Pharm in Quality Assurance from DIPSAR University.
With deep medical expertise and a strong interest in healthcare communication, she focuses on transforming complex clinical and scientific information into clear, engaging, and easy-to-understand narratives. She develops insightful healthcare articles and research-driven content designed to support both medical professionals and patients, helping bridge the gap between advanced medical knowledge and practical understanding.
Readers can explore her published research and articles here:
https://carcinogenesis.com/index.php/JOC/article/view/868
https://carcinogenesis.com/index.php/JOC/article/view/870
View MoreReviewer
Dr. Pradeep Jain
General & Laparoscopic Surgeon
33 Years of Experience
Dr. Pradeep Jain has completed his MBBS, MS - General Surgery, MCh - Surgical Gastroenterology/G.I. Surgery, and MCh - Surgical Oncology. He is a GastroIntestinal Surgeon, General Surgeon, Surgical Oncologist, Bariatric Surgeon par excellence with total experience of 36 years of which about 33+ years have been as a specialist View More
Last Reviewed - January 2026