Virginia Via Research Day Book 2026

Medical Student Research Case Reports

43 CADAVERIC IDENTIFICATION OF A RARE SEMILUNAR HERNIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL ANATOMY

Ayeshah Qureshi, OMS-||, Hailey Harbert, OMS-||, James Russell, OMS-||, Mia Al Mir, OMS-||, Nathaniel Heims, OMS-||, Luke Waits, OMS-||, Tiffany Carpenetti, PhD Corresponding author: lwaits@vt.vcom.edu

VCOM-Virginia, Blacksburg, Virginia

which was determined to be the ileum based on position and anatomic features. Comments: A semilunar hernia, also known as a Spigelian hernia, is a rare type of hernia where abdominal contents or peritoneum penetrate through a defect in the fascia of the linea semilunaris. The most accepted pathophysiology of this hernia is weakening of the Spigelian fascia, typically at or below the arcuate line. Most patients with semilunar hernias are asymptomatic and go undiagnosed until pain develops. Some significant complications of semilunar hernias include incarceration, strangulation, or bowel obstruction. In the literature, the majority of semilunar hernias were found in the right lower quadrant, although the hernia contents varied. Reported contents included the large bowel, small bowel, appendix, ovary, fallopian tube, and a testis. Many case reports described a palpable mass, and all utilized imaging for diagnosis. Surgical repair was the treatment of choice in every case, performed either open or laparoscopically. Consistent with these findings, this report describes a right lower quadrant semilunar hernia located between

the external and internal oblique muscles, which was also palpable. Overall, this report aims to contribute to the growing body of literature on semilunar hernias by providing additional context regarding their anatomical presentation. Diagnosis: Based on the location, presentation, and previous literature, the hernia found is confirmed to be a semilunar hernia. Sources:

Context: This case report describes the anatomical presentation of a semilunar hernia incidentally found during a cadaveric dissection. Clinically, semilunar hernias are rare and often asymptomatic; however, they carry a higher risk of incarceration and strangulation compared to other ventral hernias. Therefore, proper diagnosis, informed by anatomic knowledge and imaging, along with clinical reasoning, is paramount for positive patient outcomes. Report of Case: A semilunar hernia was revealed during a cadaveric dissection of a male cadaver in a second-year medical gross anatomy course. While removing the skin and fascia, a palpable mass was found on the external oblique muscle in the right lower quadrant. The external oblique was reflected laterally by making incisions along the linea semilunaris. Once the external oblique was reflected, an incarcerated hernial sac was found penetrating the internal oblique. Small incisions were made to free the sac from the hernial orifice, which demonstrated the sac penetrating through the transversus abdominis muscle as well. The hernial sac was then dissected to reveal a loop of small bowel,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.108350 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.108785 https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.95248 https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X241249099 https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjae548

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2026 Research Recognition Day