Rectus sheath nerve block for analgesia & incarcerated hernia reduction in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with incarcerated or strangulated ventral hernias are often in significant pain. Furthermore, even with procedural sedation, reduction itself also causes substantial pain. Hernias that cannot be reduced at the bedside with intravenous opioids or procedural sedation will require emergent surgery, which contributes to morbidity and mortality, especially in high-risk populations. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 94-year-old man with an incarcerated ventral hernia that was reduced in the ED with the aid of a rectus sheath block, ultimately avoiding the need for emergent surgical intervention. IMPLICATIONS: Ultrasound can visualize and diagnose an incarcerated hernia, and a bilateral rectus sheath block can be performed in the ED to anesthetize the peritoneal wall, paralyze abdominal musculature, and achieve nearly painless hernia reduction.

Two cases of fetal inguinoscrotal hernia and review of the literature.

Fetal inguinal hernia is quite rare and here we report two cases of prenatally diagnosed inguinoscrotal hernia to add to the limited understanding of this rare condition. The disappearance of blood flow signal in the scrotum may be helpful in detecting fetal incarcerated inguinoscrotal hernia that may progress to strangulation. If bowel dilatation was observed in such cases, the physician should be alert to identify primary intestinal obstruction caused by congenital digestive tract malformation and secondary intestinal obstruction caused by incarceration.

Characteristics and treatments for pediatric ordinary and incarcerated inguinal hernia based on gender: 12-year experiences from a single center.

BACKGROUND: Congenital primary inguinal hernia is a common condition among children. Although much literature regarding inguinal hernia is available, large scale analysis are few, and rarely do they expand on gender difference or incarcerated hernias. METHODS: Patients with unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia who were admitted to our hospital and received open inguinal hernia repair (OIHR) or laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) under general anesthesia were included. LIHR was performed using single-site laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (SLPEC). Medical records were retrospectively collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 12,190 patients were included in this study. The ratio of male to female was 4.8:1. There was a total of 10,646 unilateral hernias (87.3%) and 1544 bilateral hernias (12.7%), with a corresponding ratio of 6.9:1. 12,444 hernia repair surgeries, 11,083 (89.1%) OIHR and 1361 (10.9%) LIHR, were held. OIHR had a shorter operative time than LIHR for all unilateral and female bilateral repair, unlike for bilateral male repair. There was no difference between OIHR and LIHR for ipsilateral recurrent hernia in males. There was a difference between OIHR and LIHR for metachronous contralateral hernia. Incarcerated inguinal hernia was associated with longer operative time, hospital stay and higher hospital costs. Females and patients under 1 year were more likely to present with incarcerated hernia. CONCLUSIONS: OIHR should be considered for male patients, especially for unilateral and complete inguinal hernia. LIHR is highly recommended for female patients. For incarcerated hernia, attention should be paid to patients under 1 year old, as they can be 60 times more susceptible, and females. Surgeons should also be aware of ovary hernias in females.

Spontaneous enterocutaneous fistula in a patient with femoral hernia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Enterocutaneous fistula commonly occurs in the post-operative setting. However, a handful of cases have been reported to occur secondary to strangulation of hernia, mostly femoral due to the narrow femoral ring through which this type of hernia passes through. CASE PRESENTATION: We encountered a case of spontaneous fecal fistula, which occurred in the setting of an incarcerated femoral hernia. The patient did not develop peritonism, or obstruction, throughout the course of the disease. The hernia ruptured on day 7 of incarceration. Exploratory laparotomy under epidural anesthesia revealed a femoral hernia with ileum as content, arising approximately 20 cm from the ileocecal junction. Reduction of the contents was done, and a resection performed along with repair of the hernia. CONCLUSION: As very few literature describe the formation of spontaneous fecal fistula, we discuss the presentation in this report.

Transverse testicular ectopia with Müllerian duct remnant in an incarcerated congenital inguinal hernia - a case report.

BACKGROUND: Transverse testicular ectopia (TTE) is a rare anomaly characterized by both testes descending through a single inguinal canal. In this report, the diagnosis of TTE was discovered in the event of an incarcerated congenital inguinal hernia in a neonate. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of TTE accompanied by persistent Müllerian duct structures (PMDS) that had been discovered incidentally during inguinal exploration of a 26-day-old boy who presented with an incarcerated congenital inguinal hernia on the right side and left cryptochidism on the left side. The pathogenesis, approach and proposed management of TTE are discussed. CONCLUSION: TTE is an extremely rare anomaly, especially in neonates, and should be suspected in patients presenting with inguinal hernia on one side and cryptorchidism on the other side.

Emergent Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repairs.

BACKGROUND: Emergent repairs of incarcerated and strangulated ventral hernia repairs (VHR) are associated with higher perioperative morbidity and mortality than those repaired electively. Despite increasing utilization of minimally invasive techniques in elective repairs, the role for laparoscopy in emergent VHR is not well defined, and its feasibility has been demonstrated only in single center studies. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2009-2016) was queried for emergent VHR. Laparoscopic and open techniques were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: A total of 11,075 patients who underwent emergent ventral and incisional hernia repairs were identified: 85.5% open ventral hernia repair (OVHR), 14.5% laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR). Patients who underwent emergent OVHRs were older, more comorbid, and more likely to be septic at the time of surgery than those undergoing emergent LVHRs. Emergent OVHR patients were more likely to have minor complications (22.1% versus 11.0%; OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.069-2.834). After controlling for confounding variables, LVHR and OVHR had similar outcomes, with the exception of higher rates of superficial surgical site infection in OVHR (5.0% versus 1.8%; odd's ratio (OR) 2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.176-6.138). Following multivariate analysis, laparoscopic approach demonstrated similar outcomes in major complications, reoperation, and 30-d mortality compared to open repairs. However, when controlling for other confounding factors, LVHR had reduced length of stay compared to OVHR (6.7 versus 4.0 d; 1.6 d longer, standard error 0.77, P < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Emergent LVHR is associated with fewer superficial surgical site infection and shorter length of stay than OVHR but no difference in major complications, reoperation or 30-d mortality is associated with LVHR in the emergency setting.

Ultrasound-guided reduction of an incarcerated obturator hernia in an elderly patient.

Obturator hernia is a rare but clinically relevant cause of intestinal obstruction, usually found in elderly, thin, multiparous women. It is difficult to diagnose, leading to diagnostic delay with a high incidence of strangulation and a high mortality rate. Surgery is the only reported treatment. We report the case of an 86-year-old woman, in whom an early diagnosis of incarcerated obturator hernia was made with subsequent reduction by compression with an ultrasound transducer. When the risk of strangulation is presumed to be low, ultrasound-guided reduction of an obturator hernia is achievable and worth considering.

Neonatal perforated appendicitis in incarcerated inguinal hernia in the differential diagnosis of testis torsion.

Appendicitis in newborns is uncommon and difficult to diagnose. Reports on neonatal appendicitis subsequent to inguinal hernia incarceration are exceptionally rare. We present the case of a 26-day-old infant with perforated appendicitis due to incarceration of a right inguinal hernia, mimicking right testicular torsion.

New classification of Amyand's hernia, our experience: a retrospective observational study with a literature review.

Purpose: Amyand's hernia (AH) is the name given to the type of hernia in which the appendix is found in a hernial sac. We aimed to share our clinical experience with a literature review for AH. Methods: A total of 1,774 inguinal hernias and 13 AH cases were repaired in our clinic between 2009 and 2020. In addition, detailed clinical features about AH were extracted by including unpublished data of 165 cases, which were gathered from the extensive literature on childhood AHs using PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Results: The rate of AH was 0.73% in all inguinal hernias; this rate was 8.6% for incarcerated hernias. The average age was 5.74 ± 7.27 months for AH. Our AH cases were seen in males and on the right side. AH is seen in 97.3% of males according to a review of 69 articles. The average age was 16.78 ± 30.46 months. One hundred sixty-five of the AH cases were on the right (88.7%). The main symptoms were swelling or redness in the inguinal region, pain, fever, and vomiting, along with patients presenting septic or with stercoral fistula. Conclusion: If the appendix is normal and easily reduced, high ligation is sufficient. In cases where reduction is difficult and/or the appendix is inflamed, appendectomy and hospitalization should be performed.

Incarcerated Bochdalek Hernia in Adults.

In this case report, the diagnostic challenge and emergency management of a Bochdalek hernia in adults in Mexico are outlined. This case report can help the medical community to consider the clinical presentation in adults and the importance of early diagnosis and management. We present a 57-year-old female patient with a history of arterial hypertension who, following a bout of abdominal pain, was diagnosed with a Bochdalek hernia. Following emergency surgery, there was an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, which was continuously monitored due to the possibility of compartment syndrome, potentially necessitating a second emergency surgery.

Iatrogenic enterocutaneous fistula following an incarcerated Richter's femoral hernia misdiagnosed for an inguinal abscess: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: As the Richter's hernia contains anti-mesenteric intestinal wall, patients usually do not present with obstructive symptoms. Consequently, this leads to delays in diagnosis and increased morbidity and mortality. Early detection and surgical treatment are therefore paramount to improving outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old female presented with an incarcerated Richter's femoral hernia misdiagnosed as inguinal abscess that underwent incision and drainage. This developed into an enterocutaneous fistula (EC Fistula) and was eventually complicated by peritonitis, requiring laparotomy and herniorrhaphy. Post-operative recovery was uneventful. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: In advanced stages, Richter's femoral hernia may present with obstructive symptoms as in other incarcerated hernias. Richter's hernias may eventually present with obstructive symptoms in their advanced stages. Their relatively asymptomatic nature increases the risk of complications, such as enterocutaneous fistula. CONCLUSION: This case highlights how an incarcerated Richter's femoral hernia in a female misdiagnosed as an abscess delayed treatment, increased patient morbidity with development of an enterocutaneous fistula and peritonitis, and mandated surgical exploration to control sepsis and repair the hernia.

The Utilization of Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair (LVHR) in Incarcerated and Strangulated Cases: A National Trend in Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Early after its adoption, minimally invasive surgery had limited usefulness in emergent cases. However, with improvements in equipment, techniques, and skills, laparoscopy in complex and emergency operations expanded substantially. This study aimed to examine the trend of laparoscopy in incarcerated or strangulated ventral hernia repair (VHR) over time. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database was queried for laparoscopic repair of incarcerated and strangulated hernias (LIS-VHR) and compared over 2 time periods, 2014-2016 and 2017-2019. RESULTS: The utilization of laparoscopy in all incarcerated or strangulated VHR increased over time (2014-2016: 39.9% (n = 14 075) vs 2017-2019: 46.3% (n = 18 369), P < .001). Though likely not clinically significant, demographics and comorbidities statistically differed between groups (female: 51.7% vs 50.0%, P = .003; age 54.5 ± 13.7 vs 55.4 ± 13.8 years, P < .001; BMI 34.9 ± 8.0 vs 34.6 ± 7.8 kg/m2, P < .001). Patients from 2017 to 2019 were less comorbid (18.9% vs 16.8% smokers, P < .001; 18.2% vs 17.3% diabetic, P = .036; 4.6% vs 4.1% COPD, P = .021) but had higher ASA classification (III: 43.3% vs 45.7%; IV: 2.5% vs 2.7%, P < .001). Hernia types (primary, incisional, recurrent) were similar in each group. Operative time (89.7 ± 59.3 vs 97.4 ± 63.4 min, P < .001) became longer but length-of-stay (1.4 ± 3.3 vs 1.1 ± 2.6 days, P < .001) decreased. There was no statistical difference in surgical complications, medical complications, reoperation, or readmission rates between periods. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic VHR has become a routine method for treating incarcerated and strangulated hernias, and its utilization continues to increase over time. Clinical outcomes have remained the same while hospital stays have decreased.

Unusual Presentation of Incarcerated True Parahiatal Hernia: Management of a Rare Clinical Entity.

True parahiatal hernia is a type of diaphragmatic hernia in which herniation occurs through a defect in the diaphragm, adjacent to the normal oesophageal hiatus. Its reported incidence is very rare, and it is commonly misdiagnosed as paraoesophageal hernia. Although the clinical distinction between paraoesophageal and parahiatal hernia is difficult, it is essential to recognise these two separate entities clinically as their management differs. Clinical presentation of parahiatal hernia includes symptoms related to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Patients may also present emergently with symptoms of respiratory distress and chest symptoms. With that in mind, we describe a compelling case of a young lady who initially presented with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. However, she was found to have an incarcerated parahiatal hernia.

Transverse colon and omental incarceration in femoral hernia: a case report.

A femoral hernia is one of the groin hernias with a high chance of incarceration and strangulation due to its narrow neck. Here, we report a case of transverse colon incarceration. A 65-year-old female patient presented with groin mass that failed to reduce and a dragging pain. Elective open femoral herniorrhaphy was done with the finding of viable incarcerated massive momentum along with transverse colon. Femoral hernias have a female-to-male ratio of about 10:1. Postmenopausal, increasing age, and constipation were some of the risk factors identified in our patient. Various types of organs can be found in the femoral hernia sac but one of the rarely reported organ was found in our case: a transverse colon. Femoral hernia with a large bulky soft mass can get incarcerated easily but relatively less prone to strangulation.

Incarcerated Epiploic Appendix in a Spigelian Hernia Treated by Robotic-Assisted Surgery.

Introduction: We report a case of a patient who presented with incarceration of the epiploic appendix in a spigelian hernia, subsequently treated by a robotic-assisted surgical approach. Case Description: This is a case of a 52 year-old male patient who presented with nausea and two-week history of worsening left lower quadrant pain. On examination, the patient had an irreducible left lower quadrant mass. Computed tomography scan showed an epiploic appendagitis in a left Spigelian hernia. The patient underwent a robotic transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair successfully and was discharged home the same day. Conclusion: The robotic platform was a safe and effective approach to treating the patient with no postoperative complications.

Emergency hernia repair: a retrospective cross-sectional study on the treatment modalities and adherence to guidelines in a tertiary public hospital.

BACKGROUND: Emergency presentations of hernias can pose significant morbidity. In addition, providing optimal surgical intervention can be challenging due to patient and disease factors with multiple treatment modalities available. Recently there have been several guidelines written to help standardize practices in hernia management. The aim of our study was to review emergency hernia operations at our tertiary level teaching hospital, the method of repair and how this matched to international guidelines. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of all the patients who underwent emergency hernia surgery for strangulated/incarcerated hernias in our department over a 3-year period. Adherence to guidelines was assessed looking at appropriateness of mesh utilization, as well as the appropriateness of antibiotic usage. RESULTS: A total of 184 cases from April 1st 2018 to March 31st 2021 were included. Of these hernias 12% contained necrotic or perforated bowel, 42% contained viable incarcerated bowel, and 45% contained just incarcerated fat. The compliance to the appropriate use of mesh overall was 85%, with a variation by hernia type. The global compliance to appropriate antibiotic therapy was high, at 89.7%. With antibiotic use compliance being very high in clean wounds (95.6%), and dirty wounds (100%). But lower in clean/contaminated or contaminated wounds (36.8%). CONCLUSION: Compliance at our hospital was globally good. Areas of decreased compliance seem to be mostly regarding mesh use and antibiotic use in potentially contaminated fields and the concept of risk of bacterial translocation versus actual contamination, as well as in mesh use in smaller umbilical hernias.

A Case Report of a Rare Hernia: Incarcerated Falciform Ligament Hernia.

Falciform ligament hernias are a rare type of internal hernia that occurs through an abnormal opening in the falciform ligament of the liver. This is the case of a 38-year-old female who presented with a symptomatic enlarging ventral bulge near her umbilicus and was treated with a robotic-assisted laparoscopic falciform hernia repair with mesh. The nonspecific clinical manifestation of a falciform ligament hernia and the low sensitivity of computerized tomography (CT) for these hernias make them hard to diagnose preoperatively. Falciform ligament hernias are mostly attributed to congenital defects, but recently an iatrogenic etiology has also been proposed, given the prior history of laparoscopic surgeries in more recent cases. In our case report, we demonstrate that a robotic-assisted laparoscopic approach is a safe and effective means of correcting this hernia, with an outline of the current literature.

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.

Laparoscopic approach in emergency for the treatment of acute incarcerated groin hernia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Minimally invasive approach for acute incarcerated groin hernia repair is still debated. To clarify this debate, a literature review was performed. METHODS: Search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases, founding 28,183 articles. RESULTS: Fifteen articles, and 433 patients were included (16 bilateral hernia, range 3-8). Three hundred and eighty-eight (75.3%) and 103 patients (22.9%) underwent transabdominal preperitoneal and totally extraperitoneal repair, respectively, and in 5 patients, the defect was buttressed with broad ligament (1.1%) (not specified in 3 patients). Herniated structures were resected in 48 cases (range 1-9). Intraoperative complications and conversion occurred in 4 (range 0-1) and 10 (range 0-3) patients, respectively. Mean operative time and hospital stay ranged between 50 and 147 min, and 2 and 7 days, respectively. Postoperative complications ranged between 1 and 19. Five studies compared laparoscopic and open approaches (163 and 235 patients). Herniated structures were resected in 19 (11.7%) and 42 cases (17.9%) for laparoscopic and open approach, respectively (p = 0.1191). Intraoperative complications and conversion occurred in one (0.6%) and 5 (2.1%) patients (p = 0.4077), and in two (1.2%) and 19 (8.1%) patients (p = 0.0023), in case of laparoscopic or open approach, respectively. Mean operative time and hospital stay were 94.4 ± 40.2 and 102.8 ± 43.7 min, and 4.8 ± 2.2 and 11 ± 3.1 days, in laparoscopic or open approach, respectively. Sixteen (9.8%) and 57 (24.3%) postoperative complications occurred. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy seems to be a safe and feasible approach for the treatment of acute incarcerated groin hernia. Further studies are required for definitive conclusions.

Successful prioritisation of inguinal herniotomies in children during the COVID-19 pandemic to minimise emergency presentations.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted the delivery of elective surgery in children. We introduced guidance to mitigate this impact. By reviewing the outcomes for inguinal herniotomies, we aimed to determine if this guidance has enabled us to prevent an increase in the elective surgery wait time and therefore the need for emergency surgery for incarcerated hernias. This report aims to share our learnt lessons about responding to a crisis limiting accessibility to elective surgery. Results: We performed a retrospective review of all elective and emergency herniotomies performed between April 1 and September 30, 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and the same period in 2020 (post-COVID-19). We compared the data on wait time from referral to clinic review/elective surgery and incarceration rates. During the study period in 2019, 76 elective herniotomies were performed compared to 46 in 2020. We did not observe a simultaneous increase in emergency herniotomies in 2020 (27 [2020] vs 25 [2019], OR [95% CI] = 1.53 [0.79-2.9]; p = 0.2). The median time from referral to elective surgery in 2019 compared to 2020 did not differ (56 vs 59 days, respectively; p = 0.61). In 2020, 72% of children that required emergency surgery had not been previously referred to our service and the median age (interquartile range) at which they presented with an incarcerated hernia was 2.8 months (2.1-13.7 months). Conclusion: By adhering to local guidelines for resumption of elective activity, the pandemic did not result in children waiting longer to be seen by a surgeon for a suspected inguinal hernia. As a result, we did not perform more emergency herniotomies. Urgent prioritisation of hernias in infants, from birth up to 3 months old, was a beneficial strategy. Public health education on childhood hernias will improve outcomes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43159-023-00243-1.