A Case of Right Inguinal Hernia with Perforation of the Small Intestine in the Hernia Sac Caused by Blunt Trauma：A Case Report

Abstract

The patient was a 78-year-old man diagnosed a while ago as having a right inguinal hernia, with persistent prolapse of his intestine into the hernia sac, but he had no pain and did not seek any treatment. During a softball game, he was hit by a ball in the right inguinal area, and was admitted to a neighborhood hospital for observation. Three hours after admission, his abdominal pain worsened, and CT revealed free air in the abdomen. The patient was referred to our hospital with a suspected diagnosis of perforation of the gastrointestinal tract, and we performed emergency surgery on the same day. Intrabdominal exploration revealed that the patient had peritonitis associated with perforation of the small intestine. We sutured and closed the perforated site with laparoscopic assistance, and cleaned the abdominal cavity before completing the operation. The patient developed paralytic ileus postoperatively, but was discharged from the hospital 19 days after the surgery. Herein, we report a rare case of small intestinal perforation caused by blunt trauma to an inguinal hernia sac.