Obturator hernia: a difficult diagnosis.

We have presented the case of an elderly woman with severe kyphoscoliosis, osteoarthritis and left knee effusion who had symptoms and signs of intermittent intestinal obstruction. Operation showed a left-sided obturator hernia. In any elderly, debilitated, chronically ill woman, symptoms and signs of recurrent small-bowel obstruction (without a history of abdominal surgery or external hernias) and pain along the ipsilateral thigh and knee (Howship-Romberg sign) should raise suspicion for an obturator hernia. If the hernia is not palpable by physical examination, a CT scan of the pelvis and upper aspect of the thigh would confirm the diagnosis before operation and allow prompt treatment and better chance of patient survival.