Amyand's hernia in a 3-month-old infant: A case report

Abstract

Amyand's hernia is a rare condition characterized by an inguinal hernia containing the appendix, which can lead to complications. It is more common in children and it can be challenging to diagnose due to its location, often being mistaken for other conditions like strangulated hernias, orchitis-epididymitis, or testicular torsion. Imaging, including computed tomography and sonography, plays an important role in diagnosis, which is usually made intraoperatively. A case concerning a 3-month-old boy with a large acute scrotum that had been evolving for 4 days was presented. Clinical examination revealed a hard inguinal mass and a large scrotum with signs of inflammation. An inguinoscrotal ultrasound found a herniated appendix, suggesting the diagnosis of Amyand's hernia, which was confirmed after surgery.

Keywords: Amyand’s hernia; CT; appendix; infant; inguinal hernia; ultrasonography.

Figure 1.

Ultrasound showing (a) a hernial sac along the vaginoperitoneal canal containing an aperistaltic blind-ending digestive structure communicating with the caecum. (b) The hydrocele containing fibrous adhesion and (c) Doppler ultrasound showing the spermatic cord communicating with the epididymis and containing blood vessels (blue arrow). The appendix is above (red arrow).

Figure 2.

Low right inguinal incision revealing a herniated appendiceal abscess within the scrotum.