Traumatic abdominal wall hernia associated with a cow horn in Korea: a case report

The diagnosis and evaluation of traumatic abdominal wall hernia can be challenging because of its low incidence and nonspecific clinical presentation. Without a high index of clinical suspicion, the detection of traumatic abdominal wall hernia may be delayed. A 71-year-old female patient was struck in the lower abdomen by a cow horn and initially received only conservative management at a local clinic. However, her pain worsened despite conservative measures, and she developed a reducible bulging mass. Computed tomography revealed an abdominal wall defect with small bowel herniation. She was transferred to our hospital's emergency department, where urgent surgery was performed. A laparotomy was conducted to repair the abdominal wall defect and explore potential intra-abdominal injuries. The defect was successfully repaired, and the patient was discharged without complications on postoperative day 10.