Urinary retention following endoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernioplasty

Background: The impact of preperitoneal mesh after endoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernioplasty (TEP) on voiding function has not been previously examined. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for urinary retention following TEP. Methods: Three hundred consecutive patients who underwent TEP between June 1999 and September 2001 were recruited. Patient records were reviewed retrospectively to identify those who developed postoperative urinary retention. For each case patient, five age-matched control patients were randomly selected. We then compared the clinical data for the case and control groups. A prospective study of uroflowmetry in patients who underwent bilateral TEP was conducted to evaluate the effect of preperitoneal mesh on voiding function. Results: The overall incidence of urinary retention following TEP was 4% (n = 12). Patients who developed urinary retention stayed in hospital for a significantly longer period than the control group. No significant association was found between the clinical data and postoperative urinary retention. Bilateral TEPs were not associated with significant deterioration in uroflowmetry. Conclusions: Urinary retention is a frequent morbidity after TEP and significantly prolongs the length of hospital stay. Preperitoneal Prolene mesh did not cause outflow obstruction or alter bladder contractility. No specific clinical factors were identified that might predict postoperative urinary retention, which was probably multifactorial in causation in our patient population.