Acute appendicitis in an incarcerated crural hernia: analysis of our experience Apendicitis aguda en una hernia crural incarcerada: análisis de nuestra experiencia

Introduction: the finding of the vermiform appendix within a crural hernia (Amyand's hernia) is a rare entity whose incidence is not described in the literature. Objective: the aim of this study was to report our hospital's experience in this kind of pathology. Material and methods: between 1993 and 2004, 4,572 acute appendicitis and 372 incarcerated crural hernia cases have been operated on in our hospital. We studied 6 cases of incarcerated crural hernia with vermiform appendix inside. We analyzed in retrospect the following parameters: age, sex, personal history, clinical manifestations, preoperative diagnosis, surgical technique, mean hospital stay, and outcome. Results: all patients were women with a mean age of 78.8 years. Most frequent clinical manifestations included pain and a mass in the right inguinocrural region, of variable intensity and duration. No clinical, laboratory, or radiographic signs help in reaching a correct preoperative diagnosis. General anesthesia and a crural approach are used in most surgical operations. In all cases an appendectomy was performed via the hernia sac, thus proving the presence of acute appendicitis in four of them (66.67%). A prosthetic mesh was used in 3 cases, and one case of wound infection was found. In the other cases we sutured the hernia ring using prolene. Conclusion: the finding of the appendix in an incarcerated crural hernia is a rare entity in old women that is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Treatment includes appendectomy and herniorraphy. The use of prosthetic mesh is controversial.Introducción: la presencia del apéndice vermiforme en el interior de un saco herniario crural (hernia de Amyand) constituye una entidad poco frecuente y cuya incidencia no está descrita en la literatura. Objetivo: el objetivo del trabajo es presentar la experiencia de nuestro hospital en este tipo de patología. Material y métodos: entre 1993 y 2004 se han intervenido en nuestro centro 4.572 pacientes de apendicitis aguda y 372 de hernia crural incarcerada. Del total, se van a estudiar 6 casos de hernia crural incarcerada en cuyo interior se encuentra el apéndice vermiforme, analizándose de forma retrospectiva los siguientes parámetros: edad, sexo, antecedentes personales, clínica de presentación, pruebas diagnósticas preoperatorias, técnica quirúrgica empleada, días de estancia hospitalaria y evolución. Resultados: todos los pacientes eran mujeres con una media de edad de 78,83 años. En todos ellos la clínica de p