股関節から大腿部の痛みを呈し，整形外科を受診した閉鎖孔ヘルニアの3症例

Obturator Hernia with Coxalgia and Thigh Pain. Report of 3 Cases

　今回われわれは，股関節から大腿部の痛みを呈し，整形外科を受診した閉鎖孔ヘルニアの3症例を経験した．閉鎖孔ヘルニアは，瘦せ型の高齢女性にみられる比較的稀な疾患であるが，股関節から大腿部の痛みやしびれといったHowship-Romberg徴候を呈し，初診で整形外科を受診するケースも少なくない．閉鎖孔ヘルニアは手術適応があり，早期診断が望ましい．特に瘦せた高齢の女性における股関節～大腿部痛では，閉鎖孔ヘルニアも鑑別疾患の一つに挙げ，疑った際にはCTやMRIといった画像診断を検討することが重要であると考える．

　We report the cases of three patients with obturator hernia who were admitted to the orthopedics department of our hospital after presenting with coxalgia and thigh pain.　Although obturator hernia is a relatively rare disease, it is more common in slender elderly women.　Because it is manifested by the Howship-Romberg sign, i.e., coxalgia, thigh pain, and numbness, many patients first consult an orthopedist.　The treatment for obturator hernia is surgery, and early diagnosis usually results in a better outcome.　It is important to suspect the possibility of obturator hernia and to consider examination by diagnostic imaging, i.e., by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in patients who present with coxalgia and thigh pain, especially when the patient is a slender elderly woman.