Obturator nerve injury in laparoscopic inguinal hernia mesh repair

• Published in: Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery Vol. 17; no. 6; pp. 801 - 804
• Main Authors: Haninec, P., Horak, L., Kaiser, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Springer Paris 01-12-2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Case Report; Hernia, Inguinal - surgery; Herniorrhaphy - adverse effects; Herniorrhaphy - instrumentation; Herniorrhaphy - methods; Humans; Laparoscopy - adverse effects; Laparoscopy - instrumentation; Laparoscopy - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Obturator Nerve - injuries; Peripheral Nerve Injuries - diagnosis; Peripheral Nerve Injuries - etiology; Surgical Mesh; Nerve injury; Laparoscopy; Obturator nerve; Inguinal hernia repair
• ISSN: 1265-4906; 1248-9204
• DOI: 10.1007/s10029-012-0972-8

Injury to pelvic nerves during laparoscopy mostly occurs in gynecological and urological procedures. In abdominal surgery, these complications are infrequent. We present a case report of a patient who suffered a rare obturator nerve injury during a laparoscopic hernioplasty caused by clipping the nerve to the edge of the mesh. After revision and release of nerve from the clip and scars tissue, the associated pain rapidly disappeared and thigh adduction strength improved. Now, 4 years later, MRI and EMG show no sign of nerve compression.