Hippokratia 1999, 3(2):64-67
A. Sakadamis, K. Ballas, K. Denga
Abstract
It is well known that Spigelian hernia presents too many diagnostic difficulties. In an effort to detect these difficulties we studied retrospectively the patients with Spigelian hernia that was treated at the second Surgical Propedeutical Department of the Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki.
During the period 1981-1998, nine patients with Spigelian hernia, were treated. Eight of them were women and 1 man. Patient’s age ranged 41 to 69 years (54,5±10,35). Pain was the main symptom in all cases and four patients developed also a fluctuate swelling. Duration of symptoms was 1 month to 30 years (mean 6,7 years). Diagnosis was delineated preoperatively in only 6 cases. Two cases of low Spigelian hernia were falsely diagnosed as inguinal hernia and another one as lipoma. Three patients underwent CAT scan and ECHO. All patients were surgically treated.
In conclusion, Spigelian hernia presents too many difficulties in diagnosis. CAT scan and ECHO are very useful diagnostic tools. Surgical treatment gives very good results with only few recurrences.