Richter's hernia through a missed traumatic abdominal wall defect: A rare cause of early postoperative obstruction after trauma laparotomy

Key Points

• To discuss a rare case of Richter's hernia as a complication following trauma laparotomy.
• Emergency trauma laparotomy performed on a young man with multiple stab wounds.
• Initial exploration identified only an omental tear without further complications.
• Re-exploration was conducted due to early postoperative intestinal obstruction.
• Richter's hernia was identified during re-exploration as the cause of obstruction.
• The initial surgery overlooked a traumatic abdominal wall defect that led to the hernia.
• Postoperative intestinal obstruction was resolved following the identification and repair of the hernia.