Surgery Still Opens an Unexpected Bag of Worms! An Intraperitoneal Live Female Dirofilaria Worm: Case Report and Review of the Literature

摘要

Background: Intra-abdominal filarial infection is extremely rare. Methods: Case report and review of the literature. Results: A 63-year-old man presented with a painful swelling in the peri-umbilical area. An urgent laparotomy was performed for suspected strangulated peri-umbilical hernia. A live intraperitoneal worm was retrieved during the repair of the hernial sac that proved to be a female Dirofilaria immitis. Conclusions: Only one previous case of intraperitoneal involvement by dirofilariasis is described in the medical literature. Ours is the first case report of a live dirofilarial worm in the abdominal cavity of a human being.