Diagnosis and treatment of obturator hernia

Obturator hernia is a rare type of hernia, but it is a significant cause of intestinal obstruction due to the associated anatomy. Correct diagnosis and treatment of obturator hernia is important, because delay can lead to high mortality. Twelve patients with obturator hernia were managed during a 11-year period, including 11 women and 1 man with a mean age of 82 years. We compared our experience with the previously published data to establish standards for the diagnosis and treatment of this hernia. All 12 patients presented with intestinal obstruction. The median interval from admission to operation was 2 days. The Howship-Romberg sign was positive in 5 patients. A correct diagnosis was made in all 8 patients who underwent pelvic CT scanning. Surgery was performed via an abdominal approach (n = 7) or an inguinal approach (n = 5). The hernial orifice was closed using the uterine fundus (n = 6), a patch (n = 5), and direct suture (n = 1). Mean follow-up time was 33 months, and no recurrence has been detected. The poor physical condition of patients might have led to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. In troubled patients with nonspecific intestinal obstruction, CT scanning is useful for the early diagnosis of obturator hernia. Correct CT diagnosis of obturator hernia allows us to select the inguinal approach combined with patch repair, which is minimally invasive surgery.