Incarcerated inguinal hernia may have very unusual hernial sac contents. In this study we aim to present clinical characteristics about incarcerated inguinal hernia of the greater omentum.

We retrospectively analyzed hospital records of 643 adult patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair from November 2001 to January 2009. The age, sex, location, type, symptom duration, body mass index (BMI), comorbidity, type of anesthesia, operative time, postoperative hospital stay and complications were reviewed.

Of the 643 cases, 18 cases were omental incarcerated inguinal hernia group (O group). Seventeen in 18 cases of O group were male patient (NS). In O group, 16 cases were indirect type and 2 cases were femoral type (P=0.021). Mean age was younger in O group than in non-omental incarcerated inguinal hernia group (N group) (P=0.017). Duration of symptom was longer (P=0.013), and body mass index (BMI) was larger in O group (P=0.042). Operative time was longer in O group than in N group (P=0.006).

The patients with omental incarcerated inguinal hernia mostly had long durations of protruding mass without pain. In these patients, operation was relatively difficult due to severe adhesion between the hernial sac and greater omentum. In addition, operative time took approximately 10 minutes longer. Therefore, general and spinal anesthesia is more feasible than local anesthesia.