Hĕr'ni-ă, n.

n. [Lat. hernia, probably from Gr. ἔρνος, a young sprout, shoot; Fr. hernie.] (Surg.) A tumor of some part, which has escaped from its natural cavity by some aperture, and projects externally; as, hernia of the brain, of the thorax, of the abdomen. That of the abdomen is most common, and consists of the protrusion of the viscera through natural or accidental apertures in the cavity of the abdomen.

Strangulated hernia, a hernia so tightly compressed in some part of the channel through which it has been protruded as to stop its functional activity, and produce swelling and tumefaction of the protruded part. It may occur in recent or chronic hernia, but is more common in the latter.