Risk factors for Recurrent Inguinal Hernia with a moderate level of evidence include the presence of a sliding hernia, a diminished collagen type I/III ratio, increased systemic matrix metalloproteinase levels, obesity and open hernia repair under local anaesthesia by general surgeons.
The incorrect surgical technique is likely the most important reason for recurrence after primary IH repair.

According to the guidelines:
– Laparo-endoscopic recurred inguinal hernia repair is strongly recommended after failed anterior tissue or Lichtenstein repair (evidence: moderate; recommendation: strong).
– Anterior repair is recommended after a failed posterior repair (evidence: moderate; recommendation: strong).
– An expert hernia surgeon should repair a recurrent Inguinal Hernia after failed anterior and posterior repair. Choice of technique depends on patient and surgeon specific factors (evidence: low; recommendation: strong upgraded).

The EHS guidelines recommended for bilateral primary inguinal hernia repair, either a bilateral Lichtenstein or endoscopic approach.

Answer: Lanz

The Lanz and Gridiron incisions are two incisions that can be used to access the appendix, predominantly for appendectomy.

Both incisions are made at McBurney’s point (two-thirds from the umbilicus to the anterior superior iliac spine). They involve passing through all of the abdominal muscles, transversalis fascia, and then the peritoneum, before entering the abdominal cavity.

The Lanz incision is a transverse incision, whilst the Gridiron incision is oblique (superolateral to inferomedial). Due to its continuation with Langer’s lines, the Lanz incision produces much more aesthetically pleasing results with reduced scarring.

The patient has a primary psoas abscess.

Psoas (or iliopsoas) abscess is a collection of pus in the iliopsoas muscle compartment. It may arise via contiguous spread from adjacent structures or by the haematogenous route from a distant site. Psoas abscesses may be either primary or secondary. Primary cases often develop in the immunosuppressed and may occur as a result of haematogenous spread. Secondary cases may occur as a complication of intra-abdominal diseases such as Crohn’s disease.

Patients usually present with lower back pain and if the abscess is extensive, a mass that may be localised to the inguinal region or femoral triangle. In most cases, the diagnosis can be made clinically. Where it is not clear, an ultrasound scan is often the most convenient investigation.

Smaller collections may be percutaneously drained. If the collection is larger, or the percutaneous route fails, then surgery (via a retroperitoneal approach) should be performed.

The most likely diagnosis is appendicitis. The negative vaginal examination (and therefore by definition, the absence of cervical excitation) makes pelvic inflammatory disease unlikely. Given the raised inflammatory markers, the correct course of action is to proceed with surgery. In females, there are considerable advantages of undertaking this laparoscopically as it allows evaluation of the pelvic viscera. Imaging with ultrasound is unlikely to alter management as it has a false negative rate, and given the context of the clinical findings, surgery is likely to occur in any case. Whilst a CT scan would allow for an accurate preoperative diagnosis, it carries a significant radiation dose and again, is unlikely to alter management.

Differential diagnosis of right iliac fossa (RIF) pain includes:
1. Appendicitis
2. Crohn’s disease
3. Mesenteric adenitis
4. Diverticulitis
5. Meckel’s diverticulitis
6. Perforated peptic ulcer
7. Incarcerated right inguinal or femoral hernia
8. Bowel perforation secondary to caecal or colon carcinoma
9. Gynaecological causes—pelvic inflammatory disease/salpingitis/pelvic abscess/Ectopic pregnancy/Ovarian torsion/threatened or complete abortion
10. Urological causes—ureteric colic/urinary tract infection/Testicular torsion
11. Other causes—tuberculosis/typhoid/ infection with herpes zoster

Answer: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

The presence of periorbital and facial oedema with normal blood pressure in this toddler indicates that he has nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome can be associated with a series of complications that can affect an individual’s health and quality of life:
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis can develop where there is ascites present. This is a frequent development in children but very rarely found in adults.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the development of a bacterial infection in the peritoneum, despite the absence of an obvious source for the infection. It is specifically an infection of the ascitic fluid – an increased volume of peritoneal fluid. Ascites is most commonly a complication of cirrhosis of the liver. It can also occur in patients with nephrotic syndrome. SBP has a high mortality rate.

The diagnosis of SBP requires paracentesis, a sampling of the peritoneal fluid taken from the peritoneal cavity. If the fluid contains large numbers of white blood cells known as neutrophils (>250 cells/µL), infection is confirmed and antibiotics will be given, without waiting for culture results. In addition to antibiotics, infusions of albumin are usually administered.

Signs and symptoms of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) include fevers, chills, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and tenderness, general malaise, altered mental status, and worsening ascites. Thirteen percent of patients have no signs or symptoms. In cases of acute or chronic liver failure SBP is one of the main triggers for hepatic encephalopathy, and where there is no other clear causal indication for this, SBP may be suspected.

These symptoms can also be the same for a spontaneous fungal peritonitis (SFP) and therefore make a differentiation difficult. Delay of diagnosis can delay antifungal treatment and lead to a higher mortality rate.

A history of weight loss and intermittent diarrhoea makes inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) the most likely diagnosis. Conditions such as appendicitis and infections have a much shorter history. Although Meckel’s diverticulum can bleed and cause inflammation, it seldom causes marked weight loss. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) presents with alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhoea along with abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.

The history of bloodstained vaginal discharge and lower abdominal tenderness makes ectopic pregnancy a strong possibility. Therefore, a pregnancy test (for beta hCG) and abdominal and pelvic USS should be performed. If the beta HCG is high, that is an indication for intrauterine pregnancy. If it is not, then an ectopic pregnancy is likely, and surgery should be considered.

Generally, the differential diagnosis of right iliac fossa (RIF) pain includes:
1. Appendicitis
2. Crohn’s disease
3. Mesenteric adenitis
4. Diverticulitis
5. Meckel’s diverticulitis
6. Perforated peptic ulcer
7. Incarcerated right inguinal or femoral hernia
8. Bowel perforation secondary to caecal or colon carcinoma
9. Gynaecological causes—pelvic inflammatory disease/salpingitis/pelvic abscess/ectopic pregnancy/ovarian torsion/threatened or complete abortion
10. Urological causes—ureteric colic/urinary tract infection/Testicular torsion
11. Other causes—tuberculosis/typhoid/ infection with herpes zoster

Hernia containing Meckel’s diverticulum is termed as Littre’s hernia.

Hernias occur when a viscus or part of it protrudes from within its normal anatomical cavity. A Littre’s hernia is an abdominal wall hernia that involves the Meckel’s diverticulum which is a congenital outpouching or bulge in the lower part of the small intestine and is a leftover of the umbilical cord.

Management of Littre’s hernia includes resection of the diverticulum followed by herniorrhaphy.

Microscopic colitis is an inflammation of the large intestine (colon) that causes persistent watery diarrhoea. The disorder gets its name from the fact that it’s necessary to examine the colon tissue under a microscope to identify it, since the tissue may appear normal with a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy. It is characterised by normal endoscopic appearances, microscopic features of colonic inflammation and thickening of the sub epithelial collagen layer. Features such as granulomas are absent. It is the normal endoscopic appearance that makes the other options less likely.

Subtotal colectomy is resection of the entire right, transverse, left and part of the sigmoid colon. The rectal stump is closed and an end ileostomy fashioned in the right iliac fossa.