Two Cases of Obturator Hernia Treated by Laparoscopic Repair Using Progrip

Abstract

An 86-year-old woman presented to the department of surgery with the chief complaints of right inguinal pain and vomiting. Abdominal computed tomography showed a right incarcerated obturator hernia, and emergency surgery was performed. The second patient was a 96-year-old woman who presented to the department of internal medicine with the chief complaint of vomiting. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a right obturator hernia with intestinal obstruction, and emergency surgery was performed. In both cases, laparoscopic hernia repair (transabdominal preperitoneal repair: TAPP) was performed using a self-fixating mesh (Parietex ProGrip^TM Laparoscopic Self-Fixating Mesh). While some reports of laparoscopic surgery for obturator hernia have been published, no standard operative method has been established yet. TAPP is useful in that it prevents the development of inguinal hernia, which often occur in association with obturator hernia, is minimally invasive, and allows qualitative diagnosis of the incarcerated small intestine. In addition, tacking is one of the causes of chronic postoperative pain after TAPP, and a self-fixating mesh would be useful to avoid the pain caused by tacking is avoided.