Small bowel obstruction from internal hernia as a complication of colonoscopy

After colonoscopy with polypectomy, a patient developed a surgically acute abdomen. Although abdominal radiology did not show free air, a presumptive diagnosis of bowel perforation was made and laparotomy performed. At the ti me of surgery the colon was normal, and there was no peritoneal contaminati on. A loop of ileum was discovered incarcerated into an internal paracecal hernia. The bowel was freed, and the operation was completed without need f or resection. Several cases of incarcerated inguinal hernia resulting from endoscopy are described in the medical literature; this is the first report ed case of an incarcerated internal hernia as a complication of colonoscopy .