Spigelian Hernia: Clinical Features and Management

The Spigelian hernia is a rare variety of ventral hernia and has an incidence ranging from 0.1–2% of all abdominal wall hernias. It occurs through a well-defined defect in the Spiegel’s fascia adjacent to the semilunar line. It can be congenital or acquired. The acquired variety is predisposed by stretching and weakening of the abdominal wall by factors that increase the intraabdominal pressure. These hernias are most commonly located in the interparietal plane with no visible or palpable mass, and only 50% of cases could be diagnosed clinically before any surgical intervention. Radiological investigations like USG and CT scans confirm the clinical diagnosis or pick up the subclinical varieties that present with non-specific pain in the anterior abdominal wall. Surgery is the mainstay of management. These hernias are prone to early incarceration and strangulation and therefore should be operated at the earliest. It is stressed that a prosthetic mesh should be used for a better outcome as it decreases recurrence. Conventional open hernioplasty has been largely replaced by a laparoscopic approach such as TAPP, TEP, IPOM and robotic-assisted surgery. Early diagnosis and surgery prevent morbidity and dreaded complications.