Richter Hernia

Excerpt

Richter hernia is a less known entity of the hernia family. Although not well known and overall rare, Richter hernias can lead to grave clinical sequelae. A Richter hernia is a herniation of the anti-mesenteric portion of the bowel through a fascial defect. This exact phenomenon explains the often subclinical symptoms and late presentation. With the advent of minimally invasive surgery, there was an increase in the incidence of Richter hernias, which has only continued as minimally invasive surgeries have become more popular. Operative treatment of Richter hernias depends on the viability of the involved bowel and may often require bowel resection in addition to repair of the fascial defect.