Left Paraduodenal Hernia Presenting as Closed Loop Jejunal Obstruction in a Young Female: An Enigmatic and Perilous Differential of Acute Abdomen

Abstract

Internal hernia is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction, accounting for <2% of cases with paraduodenal type being the most common. An internal hernia, mostly acquired, develops due to protuberance of the intestine through a gap in the peritoneum or mesentery formed as a result of an antecedent abdominal operation such as gastric bypass or liver transplant, ischemic injury, peritonitis, or trauma. Paraduodenal hernias (PDHs) are congenital anomalies, secondary to a failed fusion of mesentery with parietal peritoneum along with rotational midgut errors, causing the evolution of potential space for herniation within the left paraduodenal fossa. Primary internal hernias can have a varied clinical presentation and cause significant mortality and morbidity if left untreated. We report the case of a 20-year-old female with chronic pain in abdomen and intestinal obstruction due to left PDH (LPDH). The prompt diagnosis led to timely exploration and reduction of entrapped jejunum, with prudent closure of the hiatus, while circumventing any injury to the adjacent mesenteric circulation. No postoperative ileus arose, and recovery was uneventful.

Keywords

• closed-loop obstruction
• small bowel obstruction
• paraduodenal hernia
• chronic pain abdomen
• internal hernia