Transmesenteric hernia. A literature review following an exotic case of intestinal infarction in an adult

Introduction: Transmesenteric hernia (TH) is an extremely rare cause of bowel ischaemia in adults with few reported cases. Case report: A 71-year-old man experienced six hours of severe epigastric abdominal pain, without signs of intestinal obstruction and with no history of abdominal surgery. In response to clinical deterioration, an emergency laparotomy was performed, revealing a 4 cm transmesenteric defect in the jejunal region. One hundred ninety centimeters of the small bowel were herniated through the defect and became gangrenous. The hernia was reduced, small bowel resected, and primary anastomosis performed. The patient recovered and was discharged ten days later. Discussion: Clinical symptoms, radiological imaging, and laboratory tests can be non-specific in the diagnosis of TH. The mortality rate is higher than 50 %. This paper summarizes the most important clinical traits based on a comprehensive literature review. Conclusion: Intestinal obstruction due to TH is a potentially lethal condition. The important clinical traits related to TH should be closely monitored. If there is no improvement or clinical deterioration occurs, it is mandatory to do early surgery to reduce morbidity and mortality.