title: Incarcerated Amyand hernia with simultaneous rupture of an adenocarcinoma in an inguinal hernia sac: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An Amyand's hernia is a rare occurrence of an inguinal hernia, with an estimated prevalence of 1%. The major complications of an Amyand's hernia include necrotizing fasciitis of the anterior abdominal wall and secondary intestinal perforation. Though the incidence of this type of hernia is low, the appendix may easily become initially incarcerated, possibly leading to strangulation and perforation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 92-year-old female patient presented to our emergency department with clinical signs of an incarcerated right inguinal hernia, accompanied by fever. A clinical examination revealed localized abdominal pain, reflecting to the right side of her groin. Laboratory tests showed leukocytosis (13,200/μL), while an abdominal X-ray showed colon distension with evidence of intestinal obstruction. Ultrasonography was performed and confirmed the presence of an inflamed tubular structure inside her right inguinal canal. Our patient underwent emergency surgery. We started with a right inguinal incision, which revealed an incarcerated right inguinal hernia, containing her ruptured appendix and showing macroscopic evidence of malignancy. A specimen biopsy was immediately performed and the results showed a ruptured cecal adenocarcinoma. The incision was slightly extended upwards, and a right hemicolectomy performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of an Amyand's hernia occurs primarily as an incidental finding during surgery and the optimal therapeutic approach must be considered individually for each case. Owing to the rarity of Amyand's hernia and the wide variance of its clinical characteristics, every case provides useful information toward the treatment of this type of hernia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Sismanoglou 1, P.O. BOX 15126, Athens, Greece. ikaranikas@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karanikas
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Sismanoglou 1, P.O. BOX 15126, Athens, Greece. agis.ioannidis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Argyrios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ioannidis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Sismanoglou 1, P.O. BOX 15126, Athens, Greece. jdrikos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siaperas
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Sismanoglou 1, P.O. BOX 15126, Athens, Greece. johndrikos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Efstathiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Sismanoglou 1, P.O. BOX 15126, Athens, Greece. johndrikos@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Drikos
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sismanoglion General Hospital, Sismanoglou 1, P.O. BOX 15126, Athens, Greece. gramdiy@sismanoglio.gr.
authors.forename: Nicolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Economou
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002430:Cecal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery