Left sided Richter type obturator hernia causing intestinal obstruction: A case report

Case report: Incarcerated obturator hernia, initially presenting as right hip pain!

INTRODUCTION

An incarcerated Obturator herniation is a rare external abdominal hernia. Abdominal CT-scanning is the first choice for the diagnosis of such an incarcerated Obturator hernia. Since intestinal incarceration leads to acute necrosis. Therefore emergency surgical treatment is required. However, due to the lack of specificity of the clinical manifestations of incarcerated Obturator hernia, a delay in adequate diagnostics may be higher than expected.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

An 82 year woman was admitted to the hospital because of right hip joint pain. She was initially evaluated and admitted by orthopedics team for suspected arthritis. A CT-scan with contrast was ordered, which showed an intestinal ischemic obstruction in a right sided obturator hernia, an acute laparotomy was carried out.

DISCUSSION

This case is important and differs from the well-known similar cases through the emergency admission at the orthopedic department because of the clear right hip pain and clinical history from the patient. An Obturator herniation (OH) is a rare external abdominal hernia accounting for only 0.07 %-1 % of all hernia cases. Because the female pelvis is wider which can lead to herniation of abdominal contents. The Howship-Romberg sign should be checked during physical examination.

CONCLUSION

Obturator hernia is very rare and difficult to diagnose. Moreover when elderly women suffer from long-term chronic diseases, a very thin body, or a history of multiple deliveries. Howship-Romberg sign should be checked in these situations during physical examination. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly reduces the occurrence of intestinal perforation, necrosis, sepsis and/or other severe adverse events, thereby, a significant prognostic improvement of patients.

A rare case of left-sided obturator hernia diagnosed by computed tomography

Obturator hernia is a rare condition that is difficult to detect clinically. We highlight the importance of a CT scan in establishing an early diagnosis of an obturator hernia, effective surgical intervention planning, thereby enhancing the result.

Case report: Obturator hernia: Diagnosis and surgical treatment

Background

Obturator hernia (OH) is a rare external abdominal hernia, accounting for only 0.07%-1% of all hernia cases. Because the female pelvis is wider and there is less preperitoneal adipose tissue, the obturator canal is larger, which can lead to herniation of abdominal contents when abdominal pressure increases in elderly women with thin body. The clinical symptoms of patients with obturator hernia included abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, etc., and the mass in the inguinal region could not be touched. The positive Howship-Romberg sign is a specific sign of OH. CT is the first choice for the diagnosis of obturator hernia. Since intestinal incarceration in OH patients is prone to lead to intestinal necrosis, emergency surgical treatment is often required. However, due to the lack of specificity of its clinical manifestations, the misdiagnosis rate is high, which often leads to the delay of diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

We report the case of an 86-year-old woman with a thin body and a history of multiple deliveries. The patient presented with abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation for 5 days. Physical examination revealed a positive Howship-Romberg sign on the right side, and CT examination suggested intestinal obstruction. Therefore, an urgent exploratory laparotomy was performed.

Results

After opening the abdominal cavity we found that the wall of the ileum was embedded in the right obturator, and the proximal bowel was significantly dilated. We restored the embedded bowel wall to its original position, resected the necrotic bowel and performed an end-to-end anastomosis of the small intestine. The right hernia orifice was sutured, and OH was diagnosed during the operation.

Conclusion

This article summarizes the diagnosis and treatment of OH by sharing this case, so as to provide a more detailed plan for early diagnosis and treatment of OH.

Left-Sided Strangulated Obturator Hernia: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review

Obturator hernia is a rare type of pelvic hernia and considers more common in female patients. The obturator canal is a narrow space, leading to high chances of bowel strangulation. It is rarely diagnoses, especially on the left side. The mortality rate of obturator hernia is high due to delayed diagnosis. We are presenting a case of a 70-year-old woman, admitted with the clinical features of acute intestinal obstruction. On clinical examination, she had a nontender, distended abdomen, and all hernial orifices were normal. Per rectal and vaginal examination was also normal. She diagnosed a left-sided obturator hernia with the help of a computed tomography scan abdomen. We should consider a differential diagnosis of obturator hernia, especially in old, thin-built female patients with recurrent episodes of obstructive features. Early diagnosis and timely operative intervention may reduce the chances of complications and mortality.

Obturator hernias: a systematic review of the literature

PURPOSE

Obturator hernias (OH) are extremely rare hernias, accounting for 0.07-1% of all hernias. This is the first systematic review investigating their presentation, imaging, treatment outcomes, and recurrence rate.

METHODS

After a detailed search in electronic search engines, 74 studies matched our criteria. A review of these reports was conducted and the full texts were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 146 patients with a mean age of 78.8 years were included in our analysis, with 40.1%, 29.9%, and 25.2% of patients suffering from either a right, a left or bilateral OH, respectively. OH were associated with non-specific symptoms and signs; bowel obstruction being the most common. Howship-Romberg sign was present in 56.2% of patients. Computed tomography (CT) scan was the most frequently used diagnostic modality, inversely associated with perioperative mortality. Mesh repair demonstrated a significantly improved perioperative morbidity rate, compared with non-mesh repair. Approximately 30% of patients underwent a laparoscopic operation, which was associated with significantly decreased morbidity and mortality rate as well as length of hospital stay, compared with the open repair.

CONCLUSION

OHs are not associated with specific symptoms and signs; thus, they constitute a diagnostic challenge, requiring a high level of clinical suspicion. Undoubtedly, CT scan of the abdomen is the gold standard diagnostic tool. Their operative repair is mandatory, with the laparoscopic approach demonstrating significant advantages over the open repair.

The role of computed tomography in the diagnosis of rare pelvic hernias on the example of strangulated hernia of the obturator canal: review

Obturator hernia is a rare form of pelvic hernia that is more common in older women. The clinical diagnosis of hernia is difficult. This type of hernia cannot be visualized by a general examination, and it is also impossible to reveal it by palpation, that is why it is more often detected at the stage of complications and is accompanied by high mortality. This work presents observation of a strangulated hernia of the obturator canal in a 96-year-old patient diagnosed with computed tomography.