Bilateral Round Ligament Varicosities Mimicking an Inguinal Hernia in Pregnancy: Case Report

A 22-year-old pregnant woman presented with a painful swelling in the right groin. Sonography was performed to confirm a presumptive diagnosis of inguinal hernia based on physical examination. Gray-scale sonography examination revealed bilateral inguinal cystic lesion expanding with the Valsalva maneuver. Color Doppler imaging demonstrated multiple prominent vessels with retrograde venous flow during Valsalva maneuver. Bilateral round ligament varicosities were diagnosed and inguinal hernia was excluded by sonographic findings. Round ligament varicosities should be considered in the differential diagnosis of groin swelling during pregnancy. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 38:512-514, 2010; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/jcu.20697