Retroperitoneoscopic tension-free repair of lumbar hernia

Lumbar hernia is an infrequent pathology that is difficult to treat through open surgery. A 65-year-old man presented with a right-sided lumbar mass responsible for pain. This was a fatty mass of 10 x 15 cm, located in the lumbar fossa. A CT scan showed the hernia and the defect. Through a small incision in the flank, dissection was initiated with one finger; a 10-mm trocar was inserted into this incision and the retroperitoneal space inflated. Under direct vision, dissection of retroperitoneal fat was undertaken with the scope. A 5-mm trocar was inserted beyond the 11th rib. Fat in the lumbar hernia was reintegrated into the retroperitoneal space, allowing the lumbar wall defect to be seen. A polypropylene mesh was applied and stapled onto the lumbar wall to widely cover the defect. Under trans-abdominoretroperitoneal laparoscopy, lateral peritoneum, colon, and ureter are detached to explore the lumbar wall and are reinserted at the end of the procedure. Under retroperitoneoscopy, even if the space is small, retroperitoneal fat is easily detached at a distance from the colon and ureter. The defect is covered with a polypropylene mesh. It is covered with an ePTFE mesh if the retroperitoneal space cannot be closed. Surgery and follow-up were uneventful with no recurrence in this case or in the published cases. Retroperitoneoscopy and trans-abdominoretroperitoneal laparoscopy are two easy approaches for a tension-free repair of lumbar hernia.