Richter's Hernia: Report of Six Cases

Richter's hernia is a relatively uncommon type of incarcerated hernia in which only part of the circumference of bowel wall is entrapped within the hernia sac. The earliest know repot of Richter's hernia was published in 1598 by Fabricius Hildanus. The diagnosis of Richter's hernia is difficult because of the innocuous development of sings and symptoms. The morbidity and mortality is high because of the delay in diagnosis and treatment. Early operative intervention is the mainstay of successful management of Richter's hernia. The awareness of this disease and its misleading clinical presentation is of utmost importance. We report six cases of Richter's hernia which have been collected at our hospital from 1991 to 1999. The purpose of this repot is to direct the attention of those who treat surgical emergencies to this uncommon disorder to minimize the delay in diagnosis and proper treatment.