Spontaneous rupture of an umbilical hernia with evisceration of small intestines in a 16-year-old girl

Abstract

Background: Umbilical hernia is relatively common in African children. Most of these hernias close spontaneously as the children grow older and they are often remarkably free from complications.
Aim: To report a case of spontaneous rupture of an umbilical hernia with evisceration of small bowel.
Setting: Seaside Specialist Surgery, Port Harcourt.
Case report: A 16-year-old girl, who had had an untreated umbilical hernia from birth, developed a severe pain at the site of the swelling. The swelling had quickly enlarged as a result of an obstructed loop of bowel within it. Traditional medicaments applied to it did not relieve the pain. Severe retching and vomiting ensued resulting in a spontaneous rupture of the umbilical skin. Subsequently, there was evisceration of loops of bowel through the defect.At operation, the eviscerated bowel loops were found to be viable and were returned into the peritoneal cavity. The abdomen was closed in layers with repair of the umbilical defect. Post operatively, her condition was satisfactory.
Conclusion: Complications associated with umbilical hernia are not common but justify prevention by early repair of umbilical hernias with large defects.


Keywords: Umbilical hernia, Rupture, Intestinal evisceration.

Port Harcourt Medical Journal Vol. 1 (2) 2007: pp. 119-120