Strangulated Epigastric Hernia: A Rare Occurrence

An epigastric hernia is a rare type of abdominal hernia, described in the literature mostly as small, containing only preperitoneal fat. A large true epigastric hernia with herniation of the abdominal viscera is even rarer. Only a few case reports have given an account of strangulation in such an epigastric hernia. This case report describes a middle-aged, morbidly obese man with a big epigastric hernia presenting with incarceration and acute abdominal pain. Emergency surgical exploration revealed a 7 cm midline defect in the rectus sheath and a 30 cm segment of the jejunum and a 6 cm segment of the transverse colon were gangrenous. The gangrenous bowel segments were resected, and an end-to-end jejuno-jejunal and colo-colic anastomosis were done. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery.