Femoral hernia appendix causing small intestinal obstruction.

An 88 year old woman presented with a painful, irreducible right femoral hernia and small intestinal obstruction. At laparotomy, some distal small intestine was found to have twisted around an uninflamed appendix which was acting as a 'band', with its tip fixed in the femoral hernia sac. Although the association between the appendix and femoral hernia is well recognized, the production of small intestinal obstruction by this particular mechanism has not been previously reported.