A RARE CASE OF GROIN SWELLING

The canal of Nuck is a vestigial peritoneal extension that accompanies the round ligament through the inguinal canal in females. It was first described in 1691 by the Dutch anatomist Anton Nuck. Under normal embryological development, this canal undergoes complete obliteration. When this process fails—particularly in the distal portion—a fluid-filled sac can form, leading to a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. This entity is considered the female counterpart of a patent processus vaginalis in males and is associated with conditions such as indirect inguinal hernias and hydroceles. Due to its rarity, with fewer than 400 cases reported globally, diagnosis is often delayed or misinterpreted.