A Rare Traumatic Event: Description of a Parailiac Hernia in a Young Female following Blunt Trauma

Abstract

Traumatic abdominal wall hernias are a rare event following blunt trauma. This case report details the course of a traumatic left parailiac hernia in an 18-year-old female initially diagnosed on CT imaging. The timing of repair in such hernias is largely debated, and this patient’s repair was delayed by significant operative intra-abdominal injuries, recurrent orthopaedic surgeries, and an infected hematoma at the hernia site. Ultimately, it was repaired primarily three months after the initial trauma. At most recent follow-up, there was no recurrence of the hernia but the patient was dissatisfied with cosmesis. The cumulative literature is lacking data on the treatment of traumatic hernias and there is no consensus as to the ideal timing and method of repair; therefore, the strategies described in this case report of a successful traumatic hernia repair are important to establishing guidelines for such trauma.