False Inguinal Hernia

Aim The case of a patient with fistulizing salpingitis in the inguinal region, simulating an inguinal hernia, is presented. Material and Methods Description of a clinical case. Results A 61-year-old woman, who had undergone tubal ligation in Cuba over twenty years ago, presented to medical consultation with an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan suggesting a possible right tubo-ovarian inguinal hernia with an adjacent collection infiltrating the abdominal wall. She was included in surgical list for laparoscopic surgery. Fifteen days later, she came to the emergency department with abdominal pain and suppuration in the right inguinal region. Blood analysis showed no abnormalities, and an urgent abdominal CT scan revealed a collection in the right hemipelvis extending from the right fallopian tube to the subcutaneous region of the right iliac fossa, with gas bubbles suggesting cutaneous fistulization. An urgent laparoscopic surgical intervention was decided, where the right fallopian tube and ovary with inflammatory appearance were visualized adhered from the theoretical location of the clip used for tubal ligation, to the parietal peritoneum in the inguinal region. The right fallopian tube and ovaries were dissected from the wall and sectioned. The patient was discharged without incidents with follow-up in outpatient clinics. Conclusions Tubo-ovarian inguinal hernias are uncommon, occurring in only 3% of all inguinal hernias, and require special care in premenopausal women as they can compromise fertility. This is an unusual case of fistulizing salpingitis in a postmenopausal woman simulating a tubo-ovarian inguinal hernia.