An 84-year-old man has had a reducible hernia in the right groin for 17 years. One day before admission to the hospital, he complains of abdominal pain; because of the swelling, the hernia has become irreducible. At operation, part of the wall of the cecum is noted to form a portion of the hernia sac. What is the hernia?: (A) Appendix, (B) Hydrocele, (C) Sliding hernia, (D) Bladder
Answer is C. In this variety, the hernia does not have a complete covering of peritoneum. It is called a sliding hernia. It is important that the surgeon does not attempt to remove peritoneum from the circumference bowel wall where it does not exist, because the bowel will become devascularized.