A 60-year-old man undergoes repair of a large left inguinal hernia. At operation the surgeon finds that the posterior wall of the sac is formed by the sigmoid colon with its mesentery, and there is no distinct peritoneal sac on that aspect. What is this type of hernia called?

• A Interparietal hernia
• B Pantaloon hernia
• C Sliding (en glissade) hernia ✓
• D Incisional hernia

Explanation

In a sliding hernia a retroperitoneal organ, most often the sigmoid colon on the left or caecum on the right, prolapses through the defect and forms part of the wall of the sac itself. It is commoner on the left side because the sigmoid colon is fixed by its mesocolon. The key operative implication is that the viscus must never be stripped from the sac; the repair must be planned around it. C pantaloon hernia is a combined direct and indirect sac straddling the inferior epigastric vessels.

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

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.