Amyand’s Hernia – Vermiform Appendix in an Inguinal Hernia: A Rare Finding

Abstract

A variety of surprises may spring up when the sac is opened in an inguinal hernia. Omentum, bowel diverticulum, ovary, fallopian tube, urinary bladder, large bowel, Meckel’s diverticulum or foreign bodies being the varied contents of a hernia sac. The presence of vermiform appendix in the hernia sac in an inguinal hernia is a rare finding. This condition has been named as “Amyand’s Hernia” in the honour of an English surgeon, Claudius Amyand. A diagnosis preoperatively is difficult and is most often made intraoperatively. We report here a 52-year-old patient who presented with acute intestinal obstruction due to an obstructed right sided inguinal hernia. A diagnosis of Amyand’s hernia was confirmed when on exploration appendix along with a part of ascending colon was found to be content of the sac along with a few loops of small bowel. The contents were reduced after checking the viability and Bassini’s repair was done. The patient had an uneventful postoperative period.

Keywords

• Appendicectomy
• Bassini’s repair
• Basson
• Losanoff