title: Ureteral inguinal hernia: an uncommon trap for general surgeons.
abstract: Inguinal hernias involving the ureter, a retroperitoneal structure, is an uncommon phenomenon. It can occur with or without obstructive uropathy, the latter posing a trap for the unassuming general surgeon performing a routine inguinal hernia repair. Ureteral inguinal hernia should be included as a differential when a clinical inguinal hernia is diagnosed concurrently with unexplained hydronephrosis, renal failure or urinary tract infection particularly in a male. The present case describes a patient with a known ureteroinguinal hernia who proceeded to having a planned hernia repair and ureteric protection. The case is a reminder that when faced with an unexpected finding such an indirect sliding inguinal hernia, extreme care should be taken to ensure that no structures are inadvertently damaged and that a rare possibility is the entrapment of the ureter in the inguinal canal.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Zarif
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yahya
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Al-Habbal
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary, Upper GI and General Surgery, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sayed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hassen
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D013502:General Surgery; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014515:Ureteral Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*