A Spigelian is the type of ventral hernia where aponeurotic fascia pushes through a hole in the junction of the linea semilunaris and the arcuate line, creating a bulge. It appears in the lower quadrant of the abdomen between an area of dense fibrous tissue and abdominal wall muscles causing a (Spigelian aponeurosis).[1]
It is the protuberance of omentum, adipose tissue, or bowel in that weak space between the abdominal wall muscles, that ultimately pushes the intestines or superficial fatty tissue through a hole causing a defect. As a result, it creates the movement of an organ or a loop of intestine in the weakened body space that it is not supposed to be in. It is at this separation (aponeurosis) in the ventral abdominal region, that herniation most commonly occurs.
| Spigelian hernia | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Lateral ventral hernia |
 | |
| Transverse CT image of the abdomen in a patient with a Spigelian hernia (arrow). | |
| Specialty | General surgery |
Spigelian hernias are rare compared to other types of hernias because they do not develop under abdominal layers of fat but between fascia tissue that connects to muscle. The Spigelian hernia is generally smaller in diameter, typically measuring 1–2 cm., and the risk of tissue becoming strangulated is high.
- ^ Skandalakis, PN; Zoras, O (2006-12-01). "Spigelian hernia: surgical anatomy, embryology, and technique of repair". The American Surgeon. 72 (1): 42–8. doi:10.1177/000313480607200110. PMID 16494181. S2CID 26111951.