Spigelian hernia presenting as an incarcerated incisional hernia

Summary Spigelian hernia, first described at the 18th century, is a rare ventral abdominal hernia occuring through the spigelian fascia. The diagnosis is difficult especially when there is no palpable mass. The case presented here had a spigelian hernia mimicking an incarcerated incisional hernia. This patient had undergone an appendectomy through a right paramedian incision proviously. Three years later she was operated for a suspected incisional hernia. Exploration did not reveal any defects in the external oblique aponeurosis so no further exploration was done. Our operative findings showed also an intact external oblique aponeurosis but when incised a spigelian hernia was observed beneath this structure, which was repaired promptly. A high index of suspicision is necessary for diagnosis both pre and intraoperatively.     

Spigelian hernia: an up-to-date

Nine cases of Spigelian hernia occurred and surgically treated in the years 1992-1997 are reported. Spigelian hernias were observed in 5 females and 3 males with mean age of 62.1 years (range 49-70). In 5 cases prosthetic repair has been done with preperitoneal mesh and a very good outcome. In a 61 years old obese female spigelian hernia was bilateral. Her left sided hernia needed an emergency operation for strangulation. Hernia has been repaired by simple suture and recurred early. For the diagnosis of Spigelian hernia it is essential to remember it inside the "Spigelian belt". The satisfactory results obtained at present by prosthetic repair are underlined.     

Endometriosis in an inguinal hernia

Summary Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition characterised by the presence and proliferation of ectopic endometrial tissue. A wide variety of sites have been reported but endometriosis within the inguinal canal is uncommon [Clausen 1987]. The majority of reported cases have described the endometrial tissue as lying in the extraperitoneal portion of the round ligament or within an inguinal lymph node [Clausen 1987]. We report a rare case of endometriosis presenting within the sac of an indirect inguinal hernia.     

Right-sided Bochdalek's hernia in an adult

Bochdalek hernia is a type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia that typically presents in childhood, but may rarely be detected in adults. The treatment of choice is operative repair due to the risk of visceral herniation and strangulation.     

Incarcerated Bochdalek hernia in an adult

Congenital posterolateral diaphragmatic hernia (Bochdalek hernia) usually presents in the neonatal period with life-threatening cardiorespiratory distress. However, on rare occasion, Bochdalek hernias may remain silent until adulthood and present as a surgical emergency. This report describes a young man with acute abdominal pain and incarceration of the colon. Clinicians should keep this rare diagnosis in mind when evaluating an adult patient with acute abdominal pain for early diagnosis and improved outcome.     

Gallbladder strangulation within an incisional hernia

We describe here the first case in the literature of gallbladder strangulation within an incisional hernia. A patient with a history of rectal cancer operation presented with a surgical abdomen and a palpable right upper quadrant mass at the site of the previous colostomy. At surgery, a strangulated gallbladder was found in the subcutaneous tissue. Cholecystectomy was performed, and patient recovery was uneventful. If gallbladder strangulation is suspected, the surgeon should avoid forceful attempts at hernia reduction, as this may cause rupture of the gallbladder and subsequent contamination.     

Symptomatic Bochdalek hernia in an octogenarian

We present a case of an 88-year-old man who presented with chest pain and shortness of breath. Chest radiography suggested the presence of a ruptured diaphragm, and on exploration a left Bochdalek defect with herniation of stomach and small bowel into the left pleural cavity was found. This was repaired and the patient eventually was discharged to a nursing facility. We believe this represents the oldest patient presentation of a symptomatic Bochdalek hernia.     

A hernia in the inguinal region is not always an inguinal hernia

A male patient of 60 years presented with a swelling in the left groin of 10 months duration. Past records showed bilateral lumbar sympathectomy and omentopexy done 20 and 6 years back, respectively, for Buerger’s disease. Abdominal examination revealed a huge hernial swelling in the left groin extending from the symphysis pubis to anterior superior iliac spine measuring 25 × 18 cm. On exploration, the contents were intestines and omentum, which were coming out through a defect of 5 × 3 cm in the lower fibers of the conjoint muscle 4 cm cephalad to the deep ring, a finding which made the final diagnosis as an incisional hernia. We present this interesting case as a very rare complication of omentopexy, probably not reported previously, and an unusual case of an incisional hernia presenting as an inguinal hernia which is very difficult to diagnose unless encountered before. Its rarity and clinical challenge is highlighted.     

Indications for incisional hernia repair: an international questionnaire among hernia surgeons

BACKGROUND: Incisional hernia repair can be a significant challenge for both surgeon and patient. Despite the growing amount of literature describing various methods of surgical techniques, little has been published regarding the natural course of incisional hernia and the opinions about indications for incisional hernia repair. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to a group of surgeons internationally renowned in incisional hernia surgery and research. RESULTS: Pain and limitations of daily activities were considered the most important indications for repair. Cosmetic complaints were seen as least important. About 23% of patients were asymptomatic. More than 20% did not receive surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of patients with incisional hernia is not operated. Despite this large group of patients, valid data describing the natural course are absent. A prospective trial monitoring incisional untreated hernias as well as comparing conservative treatment with repair should be performed.