title: Congenital Mesenteric Defect: An Uncommon Cause of Bowel Obstruction.
abstract: Congenital mesenteric defects can lead to internal hernias which may result in a bowel obstruction. They are very rare among the adult population, comprising only 0.2%-0.9% incidence rate of all small bowel obstructions. A 40 year old woman presented to the Emergency Department with abdominal pain.Computed tomography scan was obtained and showed a small bowel obstruction.After failed conservative management with bowel rest and nasogastric tube decompression, the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy.An internal hernia was identified though a congenital mesenteric defect at the level of the sigmoid colon. The hernia was reduced and the defect closed. When a patient presents with abdominal pain the diagnosis of a congenital mesenteric defect with internal hernia should be considered with subsequent emergent surgical exploration.
authors.affiliation: University of Hawai'i Surgical Residency Program, Honolulu, HI (PB, MDC,GM).
authors.forename: Pouya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benyamini
authors.affiliation: University of Hawai'i Surgical Residency Program, Honolulu, HI (PB, MDC,GM).
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: University of Hawai'i Surgical Residency Program, Honolulu, HI (PB, MDC,GM).
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: University of Hawai'i Surgical Residency Program, Honolulu, HI (PB, MDC,GM).
authors.forename: Osama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mohamad
authors.affiliation: University of Hawai'i Surgical Residency Program, Honolulu, HI (PB, MDC,GM).
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maldini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008643:Mesentery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*