sliding inguinal hernia
Last reviewed 11/2022
This is a form of inguinal hernia in which a retroperitoneal structure "slides" down the posterior abdominal wall and herniates directly or indirectly into the inguinal canal, dragging overlying peritoneum with it. Thus, sliding hernias lie behind and outside the peritoneal sac.
The caecum is most commonly involved on the right side; the sigmoid colon on the left. The development of a sliding hernia is related to the variable degree of posterior fixation of the large bowel or other sliding components, e.g. bladder, ovary, and their proximity to the internal inguinal ring.