Intrascrotal hernia of the ureter and fatty hernia

Abstract

Intrascrotal hernia of the ureter is a rare event. We describe here one such case. There are two anatomic types of such ureteral hernias. The paraperitoneal type has a peritoneal indirect sac, which pulls the ureter with it. The extraperitoneal ureteral hernia is without a peritoneal sac. In such cases, which are almost always indirect hernias, there is usually a large amount of fat. It is, in fact, retroperitoneal fat, which slides, and pulls the ureter with it by gravity. Such a case is a genuine prolapse of the retroperitoneal structures. This anomaly, which has been rarely studied, is worth knowing about, because the ureter may be damaged during hernia dissection. The surgeon should be cautious when discovering huge fatty hernias, and should avoid the excision of fat and simply return the fatty mass to its normal place after its separation from the cord.