2 Cases of Lumbar Hernia

ABSTRACT

Lumbar hernia presents as a reducible protruding mass in the flank region between the 12th rib and the iliac crest. The superior lumbar hernia (Grynfeltt's) is covered by the thin latissimus dorsi muscle and bounded by the erector spinae and internal obliquus abdominis muscle. The lumbodorsal fascia forms the floor of the Grynfeltt's triangle. Spontaneous or acquired non-traumatic lumbar hernia occurs more frequently after middle age. The untreated lumbar hernia progresses in size gradually. As in most hernias, the larger the defect, the more complicated and difficult is the repair. Here we report 2 female patients with spontaneous lumbar hernia diagnosed at Presbyterian Medical Center with computerized tomogram. Their treatment consisted of tension-free surgical repair utilizing the overlap method for defect edge and the application of prolene mesh.