Abstract We report two cases of congenital foramina in the broad ligament through which segments of the small intes-tine passed producing intestinal obstruction with reversible bowel distress. Surgical, traumatic and infectious causes that could simulate congenital intraperitoneal bands were ruled out. Key words Broad ligament of the uterus, parametrium, internal hernia, intestinal obstruction, congenital. INTRODUCTION Intestinal obstructions related to internal hernias of the small intestine occur only rarely: their reported incidence is 1% to 4% (1, 2). An internal hernia implies protrusion of a hollow viscera, most frequently the small intestine, through a natural or unnatural orifi ce. Th ese defects may be conge-nital or acquired, may have continuous or discontinuous clinical manifestations, and are sometimes associated with intestinal rotation and peritoneal adhesions which can cause these hernias.3,4 Th is condition is generally conside-red to be severe because of the high risk of strangulation and perforation even for small hernias (5).Although more than 50% of the hernias reported on in the literature are paraduodenal hernias (6, 7), other types have been described. Th e most frequently occurring of these other types are transmesenteric hernias (8, 9) supravesical hernias, perivesical hernias (10), intersigmoid hernias (11), Winslow’s hiatus (12) and transomental hernias (13, 14).Internal hernias are clinically and radiologically diffi cult to diagnose. Th e medical literature of the world reports sporadic cases which have frequently been diagnosed in autopsies, during surgery, or as the result of prolonged symptoms and complications such as intestinal ischemia (15, 16).In this article we present two cases of hernias in the small intestine caused by congenital defects in the broad ligament of the uterus which were both found incidental to surgery for intestinal ischemia which were resolved by reducing the hernias. We also review the literature covering the embryo-logy, anatomy and management of this rare condition.