Internal hernia through the descending mesocolon following left radical nephrectomy—a rare complication: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

The causes for internal hernias can be broadly classified as congenital or acquired, the latter being caused by post surgical or traumatic defects. An internal hernia following nephrectomy is a relatively rare occurrence. A nephrectomy via the transperitoneal approach has complications which are common to any abdominal surgery, as well as some which are specific to it. However, an internal hernia through the descending mesocolon is rare, and, to the best of our knowledge, very few cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of internal hernia through the descending mesocolon following left radical nephrectomy, review the available literature on this observation and discuss its pathogenesis and prevention.