Internal hernia after laparoscopic left colectomy: case series and review of the literature

Objective: Laparoscopic colectomy has gained acceptance as a standard treatment for benign and malignant colorectal disease, such as diverticular disease and cancer, among others. Same as in open surgery, the laparoscopic approach carries a low risk of small bowel obstruction in the postoperative period, but in laparoscopic surgery, internal hernia after laparoscopic left colectomy may be a cause of small bowel obstruction with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. This rare complication may be prevented with routine closure of the mesenteric defects created during the colectomy. Methods: We present four cases of internal herniation after laparoscopic colectomy. Two cases were after laparoscopic left colectomy and two after laparoscopic low anterior resection. All four cases had full splenic flexure mobilization. Routine closure of the mesenteric defect was not performed in the initial surgery. Results: The four patients were treated by laparoscopic reintervention with closure of the mesenteric defect. In two of them, conversion to open surgery was necessary. One of the patients developed recurrent internal herniation after surgical reintervention with mesenteric closure of the defect. All patients were managed without need for bowel resection, and mortality rate was 0%. Conclusion Internal herniation after laparoscopic colorectal surgery is a highly morbid complication that requires prompt diagnosis and management and should be suspected in the early postoperative period. Additional studies with extended follow-up are required to establish recommendations regarding its prevention and management. (AU)

More than just gastritis: An unusual presentation of strangulated transmesenteric hernia in a pediatric patient.

Internal hernias are a rare occurrence, reported in only 0.2-0.9% of the general population, and predominantly occur in adult patients as postsurgical complications. However, internal hernias can occur in pediatric patients, typically due to herniation of bowel through congenital mesenteric defects, and are associated with high rates of strangulation or volvulus (up to 30-40%) in this population. These can be especially difficult to detect due to nonspecific symptoms and rarity, but carry a steep mortality rate of 45% if treated and virtually 100% if missed. We present a case report that describes a 3 year old patient who presented to the emergency department with less than 12 h of nonbloody, nonbilious emesis and associated abdominal pain with preserved ability to tolerate oral intake. She ultimately went on to have ultrasound and then CT imaging that revealed a high grade bowel obstruction due to an internal hernia from a mesenteric defect for which she required emergent resection of 119 cm of necrotic bowel. Ultimately this case illustrates a fairly benign presentation of a rare etiology of pediatric vomiting and abdominal pain that if left undetected could prove fatal, and is therefore essential for the emergency clinician to consider on the differential for vomiting and nonspecific abdominal pain in the pediatric patient.

Internal herniation during pregnancy after banded Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a unique location.

A 26-year-old multigravida, 30+3 weeks pregnant woman, was referred to our tertiary referral centre with acute abdominal pain and vomiting suspected for internal herniation. She had a history of a primary banded Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (B-RYGB). The MRI scan showed a clustered small bowel package with possible mesenteric swirl diagnosed as internal herniation. A diagnostic laparoscopy was converted to laparotomy showing an internal herniation of the alimentary limb through the silicone ring. The internal herniation was reduced by cutting the silicone ring. Postoperative recovery, remaining pregnancy and labour were uneventful. During pregnancy after B-RYGB, small bowel obstruction can in rare cases occur due to internal herniation through the silicone ring. Education regarding this complication should be provided before bariatric surgery. Treatment of women, 24 to 32 weeks pregnant, in a specialised centre for bariatric complications with a neonatal intensive care unit is advised to improve maternal and neonatal outcome.

Role of CT imaging in discriminating internal hernia from aspecific abdominal pain following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a single high-volume centre experience.

Internal hernia (IH) represents a delayed complication of the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and it is historically difficult to identify preoperatively. Numerous CT signs were considered suggestive of IH but none of them is pathognomonic. In this study, we aim to evaluate the accuracy of CT in diagnosing IH, differentiating from non-specific abdominal pain. This can lead to a way of personalized medicine and improve the outcome of anti-obesity treatments. We retrospectively reviewed CT scans of 50 patients previously subjected to LRYGB procedure, with a clinical suspicion of IH. 3 groups of patients were identified: IH group (21 patients with a surgical confirmed IH), negative group (12 patients in whom IH was not confirmed at surgery), and control group (17 patients who were not surgically explored because of low/no suspicion of IH). We divided CT signs into three groups: "bowel loop signs", "vessel signs", and "venous congestion/stasis signs". The accuracy of CT in detecting IH was tested by comparing each sign, either individually or in combination, with the surgical findings. Statistical analysis showed that "vessel signs" (swirl sign, superior mesenteric vein beaking, mesenteric arteries, and veins branches inversion) present the highest distribution in patients with IH demonstrated at surgery, with a higher accuracy in case of simultaneous presence of two or three signs. CT imaging is highly accurate in diagnosing IH. Despite no single sign being pathognomonic, the combination of two or more signs, especially among the "vessels signs", can suggest the IH, even in pauci-symptomatic patients.

High prevalence of asymptomatic internal hernias after laparoscopic anterior resection in a retrospective analysis of postoperative computed tomography.

PURPOSE: Internal hernia (IH) after laparoscopic left-sided colorectal resection (small bowel herniating underneath the neo-descending colon) can be a potentially devastating complication, resulting in acute small bowel obstruction or ischemia. IH has been described as a rare occurrence in a few retrospective case series; however, patients undergoing laparoscopic resection seem to be more prone to this complication. We assessed the prevalence of IH in a large cohort of patients who had undergone laparoscopic left-sided colorectal resection for colon or rectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: A database of consecutive patients at a single institution from 2012 to 2017 was reviewed. Postoperative abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans performed for routine cancer follow-up between 3 and 36 months after surgery were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS: During the study period, 276 patients had undergone anterior resection for CRC, with 206 (75%) having been performed laparoscopically. A total of 198 eligible patients were identified, and a follow-up CT scan was available in 105 (53%) of these patients (median time to CT 10 months, range 3-34). Only one of the 198 (0.5%) patients presented with an acute small bowel obstruction secondary to an IH during follow-up. However, the prevalence of asymptomatic IH was noted to be much higher in the postoperative CT scans occurring in 22 of 105 (21%) patients. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic IH after laparoscopic left-sided colorectal resection is common. Given the potential risk of acute small bowel obstruction and ischemia, routine closure of the mesenteric defect should be considered.