Congenital transmesenteric internal hernia presenting with acute abdomen, septic shock, and extensive intestinal gangrene in a 6-year-old boy: A case report and review of the literature

Objective

Internal hernias are rare causes of intestinal obstruction in children. Congenital transmesenteric hernia is an uncommon but potentially catastrophic form of internal herniation because it may rapidly progress to closed-loop obstruction, bowel strangulation, ischemia, gangrene, septic shock, and death. Preoperative diagnosis remains difficult because clinical presentation is nonspecific and imaging findings may be inconclusive.