Hernia umbilical gigante estrangulada con necrosis de colon transverso: reporte de un caso

Abstract

Introduction: Hernia of the abdominal wall is the second most frequent cause of intestinal occlusion, but the association of a strangled giant umbilical hernia with the necrosis of almost the entire transverse colon is an unusual situation. Case report: 76-year-old female patient, with a history of an umbilical hernia for 39 years, who presented with abdominal pain, mainly in the umbilical region. At the level of the navel, an increase in volume of approximately 18 cm in diameter is observed, with ruddy and hot skin, painful on palpation and irreducible. When performing an exploratory laparotomy, we found that the content of the strangled giant umbilical hernia is a large segment of the transverse necrotic colon. Discussion: The diagnosis of umbilical hernia is made by clinical examination. The surgical technique to be used in the umbilical hernia in a systematic way is the prosthesis for having less recurrence. There are not many reports of similar cases where a complicated giant umbilical hernia includes most of the necrotized transverse colon. Umbilical hernias must be operated at any age on a scheduled basis, to avoid complications.