Occult Hernia

What are Occult Hernias?

• Light, D., Ratnasingham, K., Banerjee, A., Cadwallader, R., Uzzaman, M. M., & Gopinath, B. (2011). The role of ultrasound scan in the diagnosis of occult inguinal hernias. International Journal of Surgery, 9(2), 169-172. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919110004784#:~:text=Introduction,differentiate%20it%20from%20other%20causes. 

“Very small inguinal hernias which are difficult to diagnose on clinical examination are defined as ‘occult inguinal hernias’”.

• Miller, J., Cho, J., Michael, M. J., Saouaf, R., & Towfigh, S. (2014). Role of imaging in the diagnosis of occult hernias. JAMA surgery, 149(10), 1077-1080. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/1893806  

“Hidden hernias are nonpalpable hernias, more commonly seen among women. The primary symptom is pain, without a noticeable bulge. Ultrasonography and CT do not reliably detect hidden hernias. Patients with clinical suspicion of an inguinal hernia should undergo imaging, with MRI as the most sensitive radiologic examination. If results of US or a CT scan are negative for inguinal hernia, then MRI should be performed to definitively rule out hernias.”

Endometriosis and Occult Hernia

• Sarrel, S. (2019). 2405 The Cult of the Occult Hernia and the Endometriosis Population. Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 26(7), S188. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1553465019307745 

“Occult hernia may contribute to pain during sex, genital pain, groin pain, pelvic floor pain, increased lower abdominal pain during menstruation, perceived urinary pressure and leg pain. In the patient with endometriosis hernia may be missed during follow-up visits and surgery with the gynecologist. As a driver in pelvic pain, occult hernia should become more widely recognized as a source of pelvic pain.”