The arcuate line hernia: operative treatment and a review of the literature

An arcuate line hernia (ALH) is a rare diagnosis with no consensus on how to deal with this condition either when symptomatic or when found accidentally. Suggestions for laparoscopic and open operative techniques are given together with a review of the literature and a presentation of three new cases.

The PubMed database was searched for publications on ALH. Identified cases, including three from our department, are reported.

Five males and two females, with a median age of 53 years were identified. Three patients were correctly diagnosed on a preoperative CT scan and the rest at surgery. Two patients had bilateral ALHs and four had other concomitant hernias repaired. Small bowel was present in the hernia in three cases and sigmoid colon in one. In one case, an emergency operation was performed due to bowel incarceration. Five patients had laparoscopic repairs, three with mesh and two without. Two patients, one converted from laparoscopic to open operation, had open mesh repairs. The postoperative course was uneventful in all cases, and no recurrences have been reported at a median follow-up of 6 months.

A laparoscopic approach is recommended for diagnostic purposes, for pre-peritoneal mesh placement and for repair of concomitant hernias in both elective and emergency settings. Highlighting its existence might help general surgeons in interpreting an unusual finding on a CT scan or at operation.