Strangulated small-bowel internal hernia through a defect in the broad ligament of the uterus presenting as acute intestinal obstruction: A case report

Characteristics and Associated Risk Factors of Broad Ligament Hernia: A Systematic Review

The broad ligament, a double-layered peritoneum attaching the lateral uterus to the pelvic sidewall, plays a vital role in pelvic anatomy. Small bowel herniation through a defect in the broad ligament, known as broad ligament herniation, involving protrusion of viscera through defects in this ligament, is rare but can lead to severe complications. This systematic review aims to evaluate the presentation, diagnosis, management, and factors associated with broad ligament herniation. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases using the terms "broad ligament AND hernia" and "broad ligament AND herniation". Case reports and series with detailed anatomical descriptions were included. Articles not in English or without full-text access were excluded. Extracted data included patient demographics, history of abdominal surgeries, herniated organs, and classification. Results were synthesized to identify patterns and risk factors. A total of 71 articles met the inclusion criteria, with patients predominantly aged 30 to 49 years. A history of abdominal surgery and multiparity were noted to be key risk factors. The small bowel was the most herniated organ (90% of cases). The fenestra type defect accounted for 88.9% of cases, and CT imaging emerged as the preferred diagnostic modality. Detailed surgical and medical histories are crucial in diagnosing broad ligament herniation. Future research should focus on pathogenesis and standardized classification systems to improve management strategies.

Strangulated internal hernia through a defect of the broad ligament: a case report of laparoscopic surgery

An internal hernia is defined as the protrusion of an internal organ through a defect in the abdominal cavity. Broad ligament hernia (BLH) is an extremely rare type of internal hernia that is difficult to diagnose preoperatively because the symptoms are nonspecific. However, early diagnosis is crucial, and early surgery is required to reduce complications such as strangulation. Laparoscopy has the advantage of enabling simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of BLH. With the advancement of the laparoscopic techniques, several cases of laparoscopic treatment of BLH have been reported. Nevertheless, open surgery is primarily performed in patients requiring bowel resection. We present a case of laparoscopic surgery for a strangulated internal hernia through a broad ligament defect. We successfully resected the strangulated small intestine and closed the defect of the broad ligament laparoscopically with a minor incision.

Lesser omental hernia through a defect in the posterior layer of the lesser omentum

BACKGROUND

In previously reported cases of lesser omental hernia, a rare clinical presentation, the herniated intestinal tract was passing through both peritoneal layers of the lesser omentum to herniate into the peritoneal cavity or bursa omentalis. Here we present a very rare case of lesser omentum hernia, where the transverse colon entered through only the posterior layer of the lesser omentum to form a hernia between the anterior and posterior layers.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 43-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with acute abdominal pain. Plain abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a change in the caliber of the transverse colon between the stomach and pancreas, forming a closed loop on the cephaloventral side of the stomach. On contrast-enhanced CT images, vessels were observed in the contrast-enhanced lesser omentum surrounding the herniated intestine. The patient was diagnosed with a lesser omental hernia and underwent laparoscopic surgery. Intraoperatively, the transverse colon was covered by the anterior layer of the lesser omentum, and a defect was found in the posterior layer of the lesser omentum on the dorsal side of the stomach. A 2-cm incision was made in the posterior layer of the lesser omentum to widen the small defect. The herniated intestinal section was removed from the hernia sac, and the transverse colon was retained unresected. The postoperative course was uneventful.

CONCLUSIONS

As illustrated in this first case of a lesser omental hernia forming between the anterior and posterior layers, characteristic CT findings may play an active role in the diagnosis of this rare presentation.

Closed loop ileus caused by a defect in the broad ligament: A case report

BACKGROUND

Closed loop ileus caused by entrapment of bowel in a defect of the broad ligament is a rarity. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature.

CASE SUMMARY

We present the case of a 44-year-old, healthy patient with no prior history of abdominal surgery who developed a closed loop ileus due to an internal hernia secondary to a defect in the right broad ligament. She first presented to the emergency department with diarrhea and vomiting. As she had had no previous abdominal surgery, she was diagnosed with probable gastroenteritis and discharged. The patient subsequently returned to the emergency department due to a lack of improvement in her symptoms. Blood tests showed an elevated white blood cell count and a closed loop ileus was diagnosed on an abdominal computer tomography scan. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed an internal hernia entrapped in a 2 cm large defect in the right broad ligament. The hernia was reduced and the ligament defect was closed using a running, barbed suture.

CONCLUSION

Bowel incarceration through an internal hernia may present with misleading symptoms and laparoscopy may reveal unexpected findings.