A loop of bowel herniates through a small femoral ring defect. At surgery, only the antimesenteric border of an ileal loop is found within the sac, and it is dark and congested. The patient has no symptoms of intestinal obstruction. Which type of hernia is this?

• A Littre hernia
• B Richter hernia ✓
• C Maydl hernia
• D Sliding hernia

Explanation

A Richter hernia involves incarceration of only part of the circumference of the bowel wall, typically the antimesenteric border, through a small rigid defect such as the femoral ring. Because the lumen is not fully encircled, obstruction is absent while strangulation proceeds, making it easy to miss clinically. A Littre hernia contains a Meckel diverticulum, a Maydl hernia contains two adjacent loops with a W configuration, and a sliding hernia has the bowel forming part of the sac wall.

Reference: Bailey and Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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