Bilateral round ligament varicosities mimicking inguinal hernia during pregnancy

Abstract

Round ligament varicosities during pregnancy have not been reported extensively. The swelling mimics an inguinal hernia and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a groin swelling during pregnancy. We report a case of a pregnant woman with bilateral round ligament varicosities. At 22 weeks of pregnancy she was operated on based on the clinical suspicion of a painful inguinal hernia on the right side. Surgical exploration revealed varicosities of the round ligament, and resection was performed. Four weeks later the same diagnosis was made by duplex sonography of a painful swelling in the left groin. Increased pain necessitated surgical exploration and resection of the varicosities on the left side. The postoperative course on both sides was uneventful and without pain during the rest of her pregnancy, during labor or post partum.