A Rare Case of Iatrogenic Urinary Bladder Injury During Inguinal Hernia Repair: Management Tips, Tricks and Pitfalls

Iatrogenic injury of the bladder is a rare incidence during inguinal hernia repair in children, with serious consequences for such patients. Due to the scarcity of information on this matter, it is our goal to share our experience regarding the therapeutic approach to such a rare occurrence. Specifically, a 22-month-old male was admitted to our department with the complaint of vomiting, abdominal pain and anuria, two days after inguinal hernia repair. The child had distention of the inguinal hernia region and was lethargic. The diagnostic investigation did not reveal any significant findings. During surgical exploration, we discovered an injury to the bladder, while a large part of the dome of the bladder was ligated and subsequently became necrotic. After a reoperation and an enduring postoperative course, the patient finally recovered. Currently, the child is under observation. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for pediatric surgeons to be acquainted with the potential for bladder injury during inguinal hernia repair, ways to manage this complication, and various issues that may emerge during the therapeutic process.