THE HIDDEN DANGER IN THE GROIN: A CASE OF STRANGULATED FEMORAL HERNIA

Femoral hernias are uncommon among groin hernias but carry a high risk of incarceration and strangulation because of the narrow, rigid femoral ring. They are often mistaken for other groin swellings, and omentum alone as the hernial content is a less frequently described finding. Here we present a 42-year-old woman who presented with a right groin swelling of six months' duration with on and off episodes of pain and persistent mild pain for three days. The swelling was non-reducible and tender, measured 3 x 6 cm and had a negative cough impulse. There was no history of vomiting, fever or trauma, and she was haemodynamically stable. Ultrasonography suggesting a femoral hernia with possible vascular compromise. Emergency surgery was performed under general anaesthesia by a modified McEvedy approach. A long-standing non-reducible groin swelling in a woman with a negative cough impulse should raise suspicion of a strangulated femoral hernia, and early ultrasonography followed by prompt surgery is essential.