Efficacy of Laparoscopic Iliopubic Tract Repair Plus Transabdominal Preperitoneal Hernioplasty for Treating Inguinal Hernia After Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy

Abstract

Background: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is a risk factor for inguinal hernia (IH). Furthermore, in patients who have undergone RARP, the fibrotic scar tissue in the RARP area limits preperitoneal dissection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of performing laparoscopic iliopubic tract repair (IPTR) in addition to transabdominal preperitoneal hernioplasty (TAPPH) to treat IH after RARP. Patients and Methods: A total of 80 patients with an IH after RARP were treated with TAPPH from January 2013 to October 2020 and were included in this retrospective study. Patients who underwent conventional TAPPH were categorized as the TAPPH group (25 patients with 29 hernias), whereas those who underwent TAPPH with IPTR were categorized as the TAPPH + IPTR group (55 patients with 63 hernias). The IPTR comprised suture fixation of the transversus abdominis aponeurotic arch to the iliopubic tract. Results: All patients had indirect IH. The incidence of intraoperative complications was significantly higher in the TAPPH group than in the TAPPH + IPTR group [13.8% (4/29) vs 0.0% (0/63), P = 0.011]. The average operative time was also significantly shorter in the TAPPH + IPTR group than in the TAPPH group (P < 0.001). There were no differences between the two groups in the duration of hospitalization, recurrence rate, and pain severity. Conclusions: The addition of laparoscopic IPTR to TAPPH for treating IH after RARP is safe and is associated with a minimal risk of intraoperative complications and a short operative time.