[Incarcerated hernia of the inferior ileocecal recess--a rare nephrectomy complication]

Internal hernia results from viscus protrusion into a retroperitoneal fossa or foramen in the abdominal cavity. The condition is rare but when it occurs the patient usually manifests symptoms of alimentary tract obstruction. In this paper we present a very rare case of post-operative incarcerated internal hernia.

On post-operative day four we diagnosed small bowel obstruction in a patient subjected to left side nephroctomy from retroperitoneal access. Emergency surgical procedure followed. The incarcerated intestinal hernia was released from the inferior ileocecal recess and absorbable sutures were applied. The post operative complications (pneumonia in right lung and bacterial wound infection) subsided as result of antibiotic therapy and wound dressing

Following successful medical treatment, the patient was discharged (postoperative day 20).

Diagnosis of incarcerated hernia of the interior ileocecal recess is not easy and often occurs incidentally during exploratory laparoscopy for intestinal occlusion.