Case report: Obturator hernia: Diagnosis and surgical treatment

The "Little-Old-Lady's Hernia", Obturator Hernia: A Case Report and Literature Review

Obturator hernias, though rare, are clinically significant abdominal hernias, predominantly affecting elderly, thin women, with an estimated prevalence of less than 1%. The primary treatment involves surgical intervention to reduce and repair the defect, either through laparotomy or laparoscopy, with bowel resection needed in up to 75% of patients. Here, we present the case of an 83-year-old woman presenting with abdominal pain and a history of constipation. An abdominal computed tomography scan demonstrated a left obturator hernia with small bowel obstruction. Successful reduction of the hernia was achieved, albeit requiring intestinal resection via an open surgical approach. Subsequently, the patient achieved complete recovery.

Multiple Complicated Concurrent Hernias in a Single Patient: A Case Report

Multiple complicated concurrent hernias with obturator hernia and paraesophageal hernia unusually occur in clinical settings. The obturator hernias belong to a rare pelvic hernia that accounts for a minority of all abdominal hernias. Besides, paraesophageal hernias occur commonly in elderly female patients. Clinical manifestations of these hernias are usually unspecific and the diagnosis is based on computed tomography (CT). In this paper, we presented a case of multiple complicated hernias in an 81-year-old woman. She was admitted to our hospital due to intestinal obstruction that was caused by a simultaneous obturator and paraesophageal hernia. She was successfully treated by laparoscopic hernia repair. Postoperative progression was favorable. She was then discharged from the hospital after four hospital days.

Intestinal Obstruction Due to an Incarcerated Obturator Hernia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

An obturator hernia (OH) is a rare form of pelvic hernia in which the abdominal contents protrude through the obturator canal. Malnourished, frail, and multiparous elderly females are at risk of an OH. Preoperative diagnosis of obturator hernia is challenging because of non-specific symptoms. Most of the cases of OH reported in the literature are diagnosed during a laparotomy for acute intestinal obstruction. However, a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) scan of the abdomen is the best diagnostic investigation for OH. The morbidity and mortality are high because of the associated complications. We report a case of an obturator hernia in a 79-year-old cachectic female with features of acute intestinal obstruction and the usefulness of a CT scan in the preoperative diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to preventing disastrous complications.

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.