Laparoscopic repair of a rare acquired abdominal intercostal hernia

INTRODUCTION: An acquired abdominal intercostal hernia (AIH) is a very rare and sporadically reported entity. Most cases of AIH are secondary to major trauma and the treatment of choice is surgical repair. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present the case of a 58-year-old man who presented with a painless intercostal swelling, which started after previous penetrating trauma to the same area. Radiological assessment was done with CT scan and the hernia was repaired with a laparoscopic approach using mesh. DISCUSSION: AIH is a rare entity and trauma has an integral role in the pathophysiology. Surgical repair is the treatment of choice, however, due to the paucity of cases, there is no established method of choice for such repair. We present the first reported case in the Caribbean, which was repaired with the laparoscopic approach. CONCLUSION: Although AIH is a rare condition, the pathophysiology seems relatively straightforward and the use of CT scan is recommended to confirm the diagnosis. The laparoscopic approach, with all its established benefits, appears to be a safe and feasible option in its management.