Torsion of an indirect hernia sac: an unusual cause of acute scrotal swelling in children.

OBJECTIVES: An indirect inguinal hernia is a common cause of inguinoscrotal swelling in young boys. We describe 3 cases of an extremely unusual entity that has a similar clinical presentation to more commonly diagnosed intrascrotal processes.
METHODS: Two patients presented with acute hemiscrotal enlargement and pain, and a third patient presented with scrotal enlargement only. All patients underwent a scrotal ultrasound evaluation and subsequent inguinoscrotal exploration.
RESULTS: All patients had a multiseptated peritesticular fluid-filled mass on ultrasound evaluation. Subsequent inguinoscrotal exploration revealed a torsion of the indirect hernia sac in each case. A high ligation and excision of the sac was curative.
CONCLUSIONS: Torsion of a hernia sac is an extremely rare entity, and current sonographic imaging fails to clearly diagnose this unusual phenomenon. Because pediatric urologists are commonly called to evaluate a child with an acutely swollen scrotum, awareness of this diagnosis is important.