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Dr. Joseph is a PGY-1 psychiatry resident at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Dr. Huynh and Dr. Chaipis are surgeons at William Jennings Bryan Dorn VAMC in Columbia, South Carolina.
Conclusion
This rare cause of bowel obstruction was documented in order to emphasize the importance of having a high clinical suspicion for a paraduodenal hernia. This particular patient with no history of abdominal surgeries had previously dealt with bowel obstruction and would likely have this complication again without surgical intervention. Patients with paraduodenal hernias also are at risk for bowel ischemia, other high-risk complications, and even death.5 Although a CT scan provided information about an approximate location of the obstruction, laparoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Going into the operation with paraduodenal hernia in the differential allowed the surgeon to be prepared for the appropriate anatomy involved with this procedure to minimize damage to important structures, such as the superior mesenteric artery and its branches.
