There is a small bowel ileus with dilatated fluid filled bowel loops. In the left groin there is an inguinal hernia with a fluid filled small bowel loop. There is no significant effect during compression suggesting a nonreducible inguinal hernia. The first image shows a dilatated bowel loop proximal to where the loop enters the inguinal hernia. Signs of an incarcerated hernia are
-Thickening of the wall of the herniated bowel loop-Fluid in the herniated bowel loop-Free fluid in the hernia sac-Intra abdominal bowel dilatation.
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Rettenbacher T, Hollerweger A, Macheiner P, Gritzmann N, Gotwald T, Frass R, Schneider B. Abdominal wall hernias: cross-sectional imaging signs of incarceration determined with sonography. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001 Nov;177(5):1061-6.