Paraduodenal hernia presenting as unexplained recurrent abdominal pain.
We present a case of a 29-yr-old female nurse who presented with an 8-h history of abdominal pain. She had had similar episodes (twice/yr) over the last 5 yr, and the pain had usually resolved spontaneously. Prior investigations including laboratory studies, plain films of the abdomen, an abdominal and pelvic ultrasound, and a CT scan yielded no diagnosis. Her pain was previously considered to be either psychosomatic or a variant of irritable bowel syndrome. On this admission, an evaluation and subsequent enteroclysis revealed a left paraduodenal hernia. The importance of considering paraduodenal hernias in the differential diagnosis of unexplained intermittent abdominal pain is discussed here.
Patil
R
R
Department of Internal Medicine, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Smith
C
C
Brown
M D
MD
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence