Case Report: Minimally invasive repair of a traumatic abdominal wall hernia in a child with a fascial closure device

TL;DR

A 2-year-old child with a rare traumatic abdominal wall hernia was successfully treated using a minimally invasive laparoscopic repair with a fascial closure device.

Contribution

A novel minimally invasive laparoscopic repair technique using a fascial closure device for traumatic abdominal wall hernias in children is presented.

Findings

The laparoscopic suture repair with a fascial closure device resulted in fast recovery and no visible incisions.

There was no recurrence of the hernia after 8 months of follow-up.

The method proved effective for treating traumatic abdominal wall hernias in children.

Abstract

Abdominal trauma is common in daily life, but a traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) in children is rare. A TAWH is caused by a huge external force that leads to subcutaneous muscle and fascia rupture, while the skin remains intact. As abdominal pressure increases, the abdominal contents protrude, forming a lump. A TAWH is highly susceptible to missed diagnosis because of other severe injuries. We report a case of a 2-year-old boy with a TAWH who developed a prominent subcutaneous mass on the right side of his abdomen after abdominal trauma; the size of the mass changed significantly with abdominal pressure and crying. In this case, we used a new approach of laparoscopic suture repair technique with the assistance of a fascial closure device and achieved good results. We found that this method offers the advantages of minimally invasive surgery, fast recovery, and no visible surgical incisions. There was no recurrence after 8 months of follow-up.

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