Under the Knife: A History of Surgery in 28 Remarkable Operations

by Arnold van de Laar

Another regular feature in the daily work of a surgeon that we have Lucy to thank for is the inguinal canal. This is a weak spot at the bottom of the abdominal wall, exactly where it should be at its strongest. Gravity continually forces the contents of the abdomen against the inside of this weak spot. That can lead to a hole, known as an inguinal or groin hernia, an opening that evolution seems to have forgotten. But if we imagine ourselves on four legs again, the inguinal canal then appears to be higher than the centre of gravity of the abdomen, not lower. So no problem for our four-legged friends, but a real design flaw for us bipeds. Because we walk upright, modern men have a 25 per cent chance of developing a groin hernia in their lifetimes. And that means plenty of work for the surgeon.