To analyze the clinical features of elective obturator hernia and to explore its treatment.

A retrospective analysis of 11 patients undergoing elective tension free obturator hernia repair from August 2013 to August 2018 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University was conducted to analyze the clinical features, to explore surgical treatment methods, and to record the postoperative complications and recurrence.

All the 11 patients were diagnosed as obturator hernia and later confirmed intraoperatively. The course of the disease ranged from 2 months to 14 years. The mean age was (76.63±9.15) years, the average BMI was (17.62±2.16) kg/m², and 4 cases were accompanied with cardiopulmonary comorbidities. Recurrent lower abdominal pain was found in all cases. The preoperative diagnosis of 4 cases of bilateral and 7 cases of unilateral obturator hernia were made. However, during intraoperative exploration, 6 among 7 cases of preoperatively diagnosed unilateral obturator hernia were found to be bilateral. And remaining one case of unilateral obturator hernia also developed new-onset obturator hernia at contralateral side after 6 months of surgery. And no cases of hernia recurrence, postoperative abdominal pain, pain radiation to thigh, intestinal obstruction, chronic pain at inguinal region and wound infection were found.

Elective obturator hernia is common in elderly women with low weight, often with cardiopulmonary diseases, clinical manifestations of repeated lower abdominal pain, usually without intestinal obstruction, abdominal CT has a certain value for diagnosis. The clinical misdiagnosis rate is high, usually bilateral. Tension free repair has low recurrence rate and less complications, and can be used for reference.