Bilateral inguinal bladder hernia following unilateral transabdominal preperitoneal repair. A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Sliding hernia occurs when the hernia sac is partially formed by the wall of a viscus. The most common components of a sliding hernia includes the sigmoid colon, cecum, appendix, urinary bladder, and the ascending colon. However, the presence of bilateral vesical sliding hernia is rare and few cases have been reported in the literature. Patients with vesical sliding hernia may present with groin swelling with an associated lower urinary tract symptom. Computed tomography (CT) scan is the modality of choice for suspected cases which may reveal the classic pelvic micky mouse sign. The method of repair should be individualized taking in account the diagnostic findings. Although laparoscopic repair is becoming the mainstay management for inguinal hernia, the majority of sliding hernias are repaired using an open approach, which could be attributed to the presence of large hernias, associated complications, or recurrence with associated adhesions. We present a case of a 60-year-old male patient presented with bilateral inguinal swelling associated with urinary hesitancy and intermittency. He had undergone transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair for a left inguinal hernia 8 years ago. CT scan confirmed the presence of a bilateral hernia with the bladder herniating bilaterally. He underwent an elective bilateral open Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair.