Adult Presentation of Ovarian Inguinal Hernia: A Case Report

Ovarian inguinal hernia is an extremely rare condition. However, it is more common in infants and young females than in adults. The occurrence of inguinal hernias in adult females is usually due to failure in the closure of the processus vaginalis (which is usually obliterated by the eighth month of gestation ). The association between the ovary-containing inguinal hernias and Mullerian duct anomalies is not well established. Commonly, inguinal ovarian hernia is present in infant females and rarely presents in adults. However, when observed in adults, the presentation is generally acute and rarely as chronic abdomen. In infants, the diagnosis is usually made preoperatively with ultrasonography whereas in adults, the diagnosis is intra-operative for acute presentation.