[Case report: Occlusion and intestinal necrosis by obturator hernia]

Obturator hernia is a rare variety of abdominal hernia, it accounts for 0.07%-1.0% of all hernias, and occurs most often in women of advanced age and multiparous.

A 78-year-old female was admitted to the Emergency Department due to nausea, vomiting, complaints of abdominal discomfort and obstipation for the last 7 days. Abdominal CT scan showed dilated small bowel loops and multiple air-fluid levels near to a small bowel loop obturator hernia, between external obturator and pectineus muscle. Emergency laparotomy was performed and during the surgery, loop of small intestine was revealed herniated into the obturator foramen, 130cm from the angle of Treitz. Necrosis of small intestine was found, without perforation. Resection of the 10cm affected jejunal segment was performed and a side-to-side bowel anastomosis was fashioned. Also simple suture closure of obturator foramen was performed.

Obturator hernia is relatively rare. However physicians should keep it in mind and have clinical suspicion for obturator hernia as a cause of intestinal obstruction in female, elderly and multiparous patients in order to make an appropriate diagnosis and avoid bowel ischaemia.