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Case Reports
. 2025 Nov 11;2025(11):rjaf900.
doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjaf900. eCollection 2025 Nov.

Small bowel obstruction due to port-site hernia with evisceration following laparoscopic appendectomy: a rare postoperative complication

Eyad A Hijan  1 , Abdullah S Al-Darwish  1   2 , Muath Alasheikh  1 , Hamad S AlSaeed  1 , Mohamed S Essa  1   3 , Muath AlRashed  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Small bowel obstruction due to port-site hernia with evisceration following laparoscopic appendectomy: a rare postoperative complication

Eyad A Hijan et al. J Surg Case Rep. .

Abstract

We report the case of a 37-year-old male who developed small bowel obstruction following laparoscopic appendectomy for gangrenous appendicitis. Postoperatively, he presented with persistent abdominal pain and failure to pass stool or flatus. CT demonstrated dilated small bowel loops without a clear transition point. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed herniation of small bowel through a left lower port site with pelvic adhesions. The bowel was viable, reduction, and adhesiolysis were performed, and fascial closure was reinforced. The patient recovered uneventfully. This case highlights the rare but serious complication of port-site hernia causing bowel obstruction and emphasizes the importance of meticulous fascial closure of trocar sites ≥10 mm and vigilance for early postoperative obstruction.

Keywords: laparoscopic appendectomy; laparoscopic complications; port-site evisceration; port-site hernia; small bowel obstruction.

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Conflict of interest statement

None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Contrast-enhanced CT scan showing dilated small bowel loops with multiple air–fluid levels, consistent with small bowel obstruction. No clear transition point is identified.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Intraoperative laparoscopic view demonstrating herniation of viable small bowel through the left lower quadrant port-site defect.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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