Background: Hernia is a protrusion of any viscous from its proper cavity. Inguinal hernias being more frequent. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence and risk factors of inguinal hernia. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence and risk factors of inguinal hernia. Material and methods: The present study was carried out among 320 adults who had come to the surgery outpatient department for inguinal hernia repair or recurrence over the period of 2 years. The demographic details were taken by means of a questionnaire. A thorough clinical examination was performed by the surgeon. Details of the hernia were also noted. Scarring at the site was taken as recurrence of hernia. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.0 statistical software (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Results: In the present study total patients were 320. Maximum patients 36.56% were of age group 31-40yrs and minimum (4.68%) were of age group 20-30yrs. Primary hernia was 76.56% and recurrent hernia was 23.43%. Period of swelling was less than one year for majority (56.25%) of the patients, while the least of them had swelling for more than 2 years (10.93%). The most common side where the hernia was observed was on the right side (46.87%), followed by the left side (31.25%). 21.87% patients had inguinal hernia on both the sides (bilateral). The most common cause for the presence of hernia was lifting heavy objects (44.37%). Conclusion:This study concluded that maximum patients were of age group 31-40yrs and minimum were of age group 20-30yrs. Primary hernia was more. Period of swelling was less than one year for majority of the patients. The most common side where the hernia was observed was on the right side. The most common cause for the presence of hernia was lifting heavy objects.

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Malignant melanoma of maxillary gingiva is a rare clinical entity. Mucosal melanoma is more aggressive than cutaneous form and carries comparatively poorer prognosis. High index of suspicion is required for diagnosing malignant melanoma of oral cavity. Any pigmented lesion in the oral cavity should be taken seriously by the clinician.Keywords Malignant melanoma of oral cavity . Malignant melanoma of maxillary gingiva . Mucosal melanoma A 54-year-old man presented to us with a growth inside the oral cavity involving the left upper jaw since the last 4 months and occasional bleeding from the growth since the last 15 days (Fig. 1). He had a history of tooth extraction 4 months back. He also mentioned noticing a small bluish black spot adjacent to the loose tooth, which was ignored by the dentist during extraction. The growth involved the whole left maxillary gingiva but did not cross the midline. It was 6×4 cm in size and covering both the aspects of alveolus. It was black in colour, soft in consistency, ulcerated and nontender. There was slight bleeding on touch. The remaining teeth attached to the growth were loose. His routine investigations were within normal limit. The incisional biopsy confirmed the clinical diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Surgery was planned for the patient, but the patient as well as attendants were not ready for the same and also refused further investigations.Primary melanoma of the oral cavity is a rare neoplasm. The tumours are commonly found in patients older than 40 years, and there are no clinically important differences between the sexes [1]. Among the oral malignant melanoma, the most frequent site of occurrence are the palate and maxillary gingiva followed by the mandibular gingiva, the buccal mucosa, the tongue and the floor of the mouth [2]. The excisional or incisional biopsy in large growth is the gold standard in the diagnosis of melanoma in general. Whether the lesion is primary malignant or a secondary one from occult cutaneous lesion may affect the management and outcome of the tumour. Billings et al. found that all metastatic lesions lacked evidence of junctional activity in the overlying mucosa and showed no epidermal migration [3]. About 10 % of oral melanoma may be amelanomatic and it can be diagnosed by immunohistochemical studies showing S-100 protein, MART-1 and HMB-45 reactivity [4]. The primary mode of treatment of the malignant melanoma is surgical excision. Mucosal melanoma is more aggressive than cutaneous form, which is reflected in low survival rate [5]. We conclude with the message that any pigmented lesion in the oral cavity should be taken seriously, and since malignant melanoma of oral cavity is a rare disease, a high index of suspicion is needed for its diagnosis.