Acute traumatic abdominal wall hernia after blunt abdominal trauma

Traumatic abdominal wall hernias are rare injuries despite the high incidence of blunt abdominal traumas. The mechanism of this injury includes a sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure and extensive shear forces applied to the abdominal wall. The typical location is found at anatomic weak areas in the lower abdomen. Often, significant intra-abdominal injuries or injuries of the pelvis and chest are associated. We describe a case of an abdominal contusion trauma leading to a traumatic abdominal wall hernia beside the rectal sheath. In this case, parts of the small bowel penetrated through the ruptured muscle of the abdominal wall up to the subcutis. After appropriate diagnosis, the defect was repaired using a sheet of synthetic mesh to stabilize the abdominal wall. Based on this case, the management of blunt abdominal wall hernias and the literature are discussed.