title: Left paraduodenal hernia: a rare cause of small bowel obstruction in the elderly.
abstract: Left paraduodenal hernia is a rarely found condition in which the small bowel herniates through a congenital peritoneal defect located behind the 4th portion of duodenum. It usually courses with non-specific symptoms and a widely variable clinical presentation which makes preoperative diagnosis very difficult. It has been associated with a high rate of complications, including bowel strangulation and even death. Prompt surgical intervention consisting of intraoperative surgeon's awareness and recognition of this condition are crucial in order to improve postoperative morbidity and mortality. The authors present a case of a 73-year-old man with acute intestinal obstruction as the first presentation of a left paraduodenal hernia.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Póvoa
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, E.P.E, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Maciel
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome