[Internal hernia--a rare cause of intestinal obstruction]

Internal hernia is rare its frequency ranging between 0.6 and 5.8%. It results from the protrusion of one or more abdominal viscera (usually small bowel) through an intraperitoneal opening. The opening can be normal (e.g. Winslow foramen), congenital (paraduodenal fossa, ileocecal fossa), or abnormal anatomical entities (after trauma or surgery). The clinical diagnosis of internal hernia is difficult because of the lack of specific signs and symptoms. There is a 63.6% lifetime risk of strangulation and bowel ischemia. In such cases, computed tomography is essential in the preoperative diagnosis because of the high mortality rate (20%) (which justifies its costs).