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Appendiceal pus in a hernia sac simulating strangulated femoral hernia: a case report

Authors Hsiao T, Chou

Published 23 March 2011 Volume 2011:4 Pages 235—237

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S16413

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



Tien-Fa Hsiao, Yenn-Hwei Chou
Department of Surgery, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract: Acute appendicitis involving the hernia sac is infrequent but well-documented in medical literature. In most instances, it occurs within the right inguinal (Amyand’s hernia) or right femoral hernia (de Garengeot hernia). The diagnosis is always mistaken for incarcerated groin hernia. During surgery, the appendix itself, either perforated or strangulated, is most commonly encountered within the hernia sac. In very rare occasions, only appendiceal pus is found in the hernia sac. In this paper, we report the case of a 90-year-old woman with acute appendicitis and a tender mass in the right groin. Typical findings of acute appendicitis by computed tomography (CT) and incarcerated femoral hernia with groin cellulitis misled us into preoperative diagnosis of strangulated femoral hernia. Acute phlegmonous inflammation of the incarcerated femoral hernia sac containing pus only and acute suppurative appendicitis were found intraoperatively. This case presents a rare complication of acute appendicitis and the first report of CT-documented appendiceal pus-contained femoral hernia. Knowledge of this rare condition is helpful in establishing preoperative diagnosis and patient management decisions.

Keywords: hernia sac, acute appendicitis, pus-containing femoral hernia

 

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