Richter hernia of the stomach

Unusual Richter's Hernia: Impacted foreign body leading to incarceration and perforation - A rare clinical entity

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The knowledge about this type of hernia has especially gained importance in the context of laparoscopic surgery as majority of the laparoscopic port site hernias are characteristically Richter’s type in configuration.

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Clinical suspicion, prompt radiological diagnosis and timely surgery can lead to an uneventful recovery.

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Surgery is the only treatment, but timely surgery remains the golden opportunity.

Introduction & Importance

Richter’s hernia is a clinically deceiving entity as is particularly associated with high morbidity and mortality which can be can be abated by timely diagnosis and surgery. Direct inguinal hernias having a wide neck have lesser chances of incarceration and strangulation when compared to indirect inguinal hernias. The knowledge about this type of hernia is especially important in the context of laparoscopy as majority of the laparoscopic port site hernias are characteristically Richter’s type in configuration. The objective of this report is to highlight the unusual presentation of the case and sine quo non of prompt diagnosis and timely surgery remains the cornerstone of management.

Case presentation

We report a case of Richter’s hernia incarcerated due to an impacted foreign body (match stick) through a direct inguinal hernia. Patient presented with a painful, non-expansile, tender swelling in left groin. Patient was diagnosed with a complicated inguinal hernia and underwent exploration with resection of involved bowel segment and primary repair of hernia.

Clinical discussion

Richter’s hernia is a rare abdominal wall hernia specifically known for its unusual and delayed presentation leading to high rates of morbidity and mortality. Direct inguinal hernias are less prone to complications like obstruction, strangulation and incarceration owing to presence of a wide neck. Clinical suspicion, prompt radiological diagnosis and timely surgery can lead to an uneventful recovery.

Conclusion

Surgery is the only treatment, but timely surgery remains the golden opportunity. Critical in repair is the evaluation of intestinal viability.

Strangulated Richter's Umbilical Hernia - A Case Report

Richter's hernia is an abdominal hernia in which part of the circumference of bowel entrapped in the hernial sac. The segment of the entrapped bowel is nearly always the distal ileum but any part of gastrointestinal tract from the stomach to the colon may become incarcerated. The most common sites for Richter's hernia are the femoral ring (71%), deep inguinal ring (23%) and ventral or umbilical hernias (6%). The growing popularity of laparoscopic surgery has led to a new possible site for development of Richter's hernia. In most cases as less than two thirds of the circumference of the bowel wall is involved, the lumen of the gut remains free and thus features of intestinal obstruction are often absent. Richter's hernia is a deceptive entity whose high death rate can be reduced by accurate diagnosis and early surgery. We report a case of strangulated Richter's umbilical hernia in a 36 years old male.

Obturator hernia of the Richter type: A case report

Obturator hernia is a rare type of hernia which accounts for only 0.07-1.4% of all intra-abdominal hernias and 0.2-5.8% of small-intestinal obstructions. Because the symptoms are non-specific, the diagnosis is often delayed until laparotomy is performed to treat bowel obstruction. The need for awareness of the condition is stressed, and the diagnosis of obturator hernia should be strongly suspected in a thin, elderly woman who has small bowel obstruction and no previous abdominal surgery. Here is a case report of obturator hernia in which the diagnosis was difficult because of the slow development of symptoms; on laparotomy it was found to be a Richter hernia. Computed tomography scanning can be helpful and will typically show an incarcerated small bowel behind the pectineus muscle. Laparoscopy may be necessary for diagnosis, and the hernia can be repaired laparoscopically.

Richter Hernia: Surgical Anatomy and Technique of Repair

Richter hernia (partial enterocele) is the protrusion and/or strangulation of only part of the circumference of the intestine's antimesenteric border through a rigid small defect of the abdominal wall. The first case was reported in 1606 by Fabricius Hildanus. The first definition of partial enterocele was given by August Gottlieb Richter in 1785. Sir Frederick Treves discriminated it from Littre hernia (hernia of the Meckel diverticulum). More often these hernias are diagnosed in the sixth and seventh decades of life. They comprise 10 per cent of strangulated hernias. Their common sites are the femoral ring, inguinal ring, and at incisional trauma. The most-often entrapped part of the bowel is the distal ileum, but any part of the intestinal tube may be incarcerated. These hernias progress more rapidly to gangrene than other strangulated hernias, and obstruction is less frequent. The gold standard technique for repair is the preperitoneal approach, followed by laparotomy and resection if perforation is suspected.

Richter's hernia and Sir Frederick Treves: an original clinical experience, review, and historical overview

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical recognition, pathology, and management of Richter's hernia and to review the relevant literature of the past 400 years.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

The earliest known reported case of Richter's hernia occurred in 1598 and was described by Fabricius Hildanus. The first scientific description of this particular hernia was given by August Gottlob Richter in 1778, who presented it as "the small rupture." In 1887, Sir Frederick Treves gave an excellent overview on the topic and proposed the title "Richter's hernia." To his work-a cornerstone to modern understanding-hardly any new aspects can be added today. Since then, only occasional case reports or small series of retrospectively collected Richter's hernias have been published.

METHODS

The authors draw on their experience with 18 prospectively collected cases treated in the ICRC Lopiding Hospital for War Surgery in northern Kenya between February and December 1998 and review the relevant literature of the past 400 years.

RESULTS

The classic features of Richter's hernia were confirmed in all case studies of patients: only part of the circumference of the bowel is entrapped and strangulated in the hernial orifice. The involved segment may rapidly pass into gangrene, yet signs of intestinal obstruction are often absent. The death rate in the authors' collective was 17%.

CONCLUSION

Richter's hernia is a deceptive entity whose high death rate can be reduced by accurate diagnosis and early surgery. Considering the increasing incidence at laparoscope insertion sites, awareness of this special type of hernia with its misleading clinical appearance is important and of general interest.