Acetabular Hernia Causing Intestinal Obstruction

A 70-year-old female was operated on for aseptic loosening of the acetabular component of a right hip prosthesis. During the intervention, the external iliac artery was injured, requiring emergency laparotomy and artery ligation with femoro-femoral cross-over bypass. The prosthesis replacement was not completed.

During post-op, the patient presented symptoms consistent with intestinal obstruction. CT scan demonstrated herniation of the ileum to the acetabular cavity (Figs. 1 and 2).

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Surgery confirmed the presence of an ileal loop herniated to the acetabular cavity, around the neck of the femur. Reduction was performed and the peritoneal defect was closed with stitches. Four weeks later, the acetabular component was implanted without complications.