Laparoscopic Treatment of Right Inguinal Hernia Re-Recurrence

Abstract We report the case of an 81-year-old man presenting with a right inguinal hernia re-recurrence. He had undergone a laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernioplasty in 2001. The recurrence occurred in 2021, and therefore, he had to be treated with an open approach. Past medical history included arterial hypertension, COPD, coronary artery stenting for ischemic heart disease, stage II chronic renal failure. Previous surgeries consisted of bilateral iliac arteries, percutaneous angioplasty and stenting with a right femoral arterial access, laminectomy of L3–L5, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Surgical procedure Laparoscopy confirmed a right hernia re-recurrence. Herniated ileal loop was completely reduced. Peritoneal incision was performed with a lateral-to-medial approach. The mesh was dissected away from the pre-peritoneal fat. The shrunk mesh was pulled downwards to allow the identification of the epigastric vessels, which were then dissected according to a cranial-to-caudal approach. The large hernia sac was completely reduced thus exposing the re-recurrence orifice. Dissection was carried out towards the Bogros’ space. Epigastric vessels were detached from the mesh thus allowing to expose the medial part of the myopectineal orifice. Cooper’s ligament and pubic symphysis were therefore identified. The epigastric and spermatic vessels were freed from the mesh only after the critical view of the myopectineal orifice (MPO) was achieved. The mesh was completely mobilized from the peritoneum and removed. A “landing zone” was obtained, a 15 × 10 cm self-fixating mesh positioned around the re-recurrence orifice. Peritoneum closure was performed by means of a 3–0 running barbed suture from medial to lateral.