Inguinal pain during pregnancy, secondary to round ligament varicosities: case report

The exact incidence of round ligament varicosities (RLV) is uncertain, due to the fact that there are few cases reported in the literature, and in many cases, they can be confused with inguinal hernias. A 26-year-old female with 26.3 weeks of gestation by date of last menstruation, who went to the emergency service of the Naval Regional Hospital of Tampico with the presence of an increase in volume in the left inguinal region, accompanied by pain, which increased standing and decreasing with the dorsal decubitus, the physical examination confirmed an increase in volume at the left inguinal level. An ultrasound of the inguinal region was requested to rule out an inguinal hernia as the first diagnosis, Doppler ultrasound revealed RLV. The patient was treated conservatively and at two weeks after the resolution of the pregnancy, the RLV presented a spontaneous regression and her symptoms completely resolved. This is the first case of round ligament varicosities reported in present institution. It is important to be aware of this pathology, to perform extension studies (Doppler ultrasound) to avoid unnecessary surgery in pregnant women