ABSTRACT

Obturator hernia is a very rare abdominal hernia that is located in the anterior pelvis. Patients apply to a hospital with a clinical intestinal obstruction table in this type of hernia. Prognosis in obturator hernia remains quite poor because of delayed diagnosis and surgical management. Nowadays, radiological techniques, especially computed tomography, are very advanced. Nevertheless, obturator hernia is a serious problem with its increased mortality, because it is detected quite hardly. We tried to offer an 82-year-old woman with acute abdomen that was considered on mechanic intestinal obstruction table for us in this article. Computed tomography is useful on these patients, just as it is useful in this article. For this reason, we scanned computed tomography and recognized a strangulated obturator hernia on the left. Afterwards, we planned a surgical operation and repaired the obturator hernia laparoscopically. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit because of respiratory failure after the operation was finished. The patient, who was followed in the intensive care unit, died five days later because of acute respiratory failure. Obturator hernia is a rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction. Therefore, increased mortality rates should be remembered in elderly patients because of delayed diagnosis and accompanying chronic diseases. (JAREM 2014; 1: 31-4)

Keywords: Obturator hernia, laparoscopy, intestinal obstruction