Broad Ligament Hernia Presenting as Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report

Internal hernias, although rare, can present as surgical emergencies in certain instances, depending on the patient's symptomatology and clinical features. Broad ligament hernia is considered a rare type of internal hernia. Acute appendicitis is a condition that is caused by the inflammation of the vermiform appendix in response to a fecalith or lymphoid aggregation. Although stemming from differing etiologies and pathophysiological mechanisms, the conditions mentioned above can present similar signs and symptoms in clinical practice. In this case, we present a 37-year-old previously healthy woman who presented with chief complaints of abdominal pain, with features consistent with acute appendicitis, wherein a CT of the abdomen showed an appendix of 7.5 mm with no other findings. However, she was incidentally found to have a broad ligament hernia intraoperatively during a diagnostic laparoscopy. This report describes the patient's management laparoscopically. The presentations of acute appendicitis and broad ligament hernia can be similar and pose a diagnostic challenge to many physicians, as described in this case. Thus, it is significant to highlight the differences to avoid possible complications. Due to the presence of a diagnostic dilemma, we believe that a laparoscopy would be the best option for such patients for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.