Amyand's hernia presenting as an unusual inguinal mass: a case report

Accounting for approximately 0.4-0.6% of all inguinal hernias, Amyand's hernia is a rare condition in which a vermiform appendix is found in an inguinal hernia sac. It is most commonly found in males and in the pediatric population. Since Claudius Amyand's first reported case in 1736, there have only been a total of 228 documented cases of the Amyand's hernia. Due to its rarity, the pathophysiology and risk factors of the condition are still unclear. Some theorize that it is secondary to a patent processus vaginalis or perhaps the presence of a fibrous band between the hernia sac and testes. Amyand's hernia usually presents as an incarcerated or strangulated hernia, but its presentation can be quite variable. We report an unusual case of an Amyand's hernia presenting as an enlarging painful mass on the right lateral edge of the mons pubis, resembling an abscess.