Robotic hernia surgery IV. English version : Robotic parastomal hernia repair. Video report and preliminary results

Systematic review and meta-analysis on robotic assisted ventral hernia repair: the ROVER review

INTRODUCTION

Robotic surgery for ventral hernia repair (VHR) is gaining attention for its potential advantages over laparoscopic and open techniques. This approach combines the advantages of minimally invasive surgery with the ability to perform technically challenging procedures, often required in open surgery but difficult with conventional laparoscopy. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of robotic VHR compared to other surgical approaches, focusing on postoperative complications, operative time, and costs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A systematic review with meta-analysis were conducted, including 67 studies from January 2010 to May 2023 on Robotic VHR compared with other techniques. Primary outcome was 30-days postoperative complications; SSI, SSO, seroma, mortality, recurrence, length of hospital stay, operative time and costs were analysed as secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Robotic surgery was associated with longer operative times compared to both laparoscopic (MD 64.67 min; p < 0.001) and open repairs (MD 69.69 min; p < 0.001). However, it resulted, compared to open surgery, in fewer SSIs (OR 0.62; p 0.05), mortality (OR 0.44; p 0.04) and shorter hospital stay (MD -3.77 days; p < 0.001). No differences were found in overall complications or length of stay between robotic and laparoscopic approaches but higher costs and longer operative times were reported in robotic VHR.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the currently available low-quality evidence, robotic VHR appears to offer limited advantages compared to laparoscopic techniques. However, when compared to open approaches, robotic VHR may demonstrate reduced postoperative complications and shorter hospital stays even if an higher rate of seroma formation was retrieved probably related to technical details. Nevertheless, longer operative times and higher costs remain significant limitations. Further high-quality comparative studies are warranted to assess long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Robotic sugarbaker parastomal hernia repair: updated series and outcomes

PURPOSE

To present updated outcomes after previously describing a novel technique for the robotic repair of parastomal hernias.

METHODS

Patients who underwent parastomal hernia repair with a robotic Sugarbaker technique at a tertiary hernia center were identified from an institutional database. The approach involves mesh placement in the intraperitoneal or preperitoneal position after closure of the fascial defect. Baseline demographics, intra-operative variables, and post-operative outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients were identified who underwent robotic Sugarbaker parastomal hernia repair with mesh. Median age was 61.5 (IQR 58.0-67.0) years, 17 (65%) were male, and median BMI was 29.5 (IQR 25.7-32.6) kg/m2. Stoma types included 11 (42%) colostomies, 8 (31%) ileostomies, and 7 (27%) urostomies. All but one case was elective (96%) and 2 (8%) were recurrent. Median operative time was 182.5 (IQR 149-209) min. Biologic mesh was used in 5 (19%) and synthetic mesh in 21 (81%) cases. Concurrent hernia repair was performed in 11 (42%) cases. Two (8%) patients were converted from a robotic to open procedure. Median length of stay was 4 (IQR 3-6) days. A total of 3 (11.5%) patients underwent reoperation related to obstruction at the stoma site. There were no additional 30-day readmissions, seromas requiring intervention, or wound complications. There were 4 (15%) total recurrences during a median follow up of 29.1 (IQR 10.0-55.8) months.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic Sugarbaker parastomal hernia repair is an effective technique for minimally invasive repair of parastomal hernias. Care should be taken to prevent obstruction of the stoma related to fascial and peritoneal flap reconstruction or mesh placement, which is a significant risk of this technique.

Early outcomes of robotic modified retromuscular Sugarbaker technique for end colostomy parastomal hernia repair

AIM

The modified retromuscular Sugarbaker or Pauli technique is a technique for parastomal hernia repair, which requires the dissection of the retromuscular space and a transversus abdominis release for stoma lateralization and placement of a retromuscular mesh. Given the limited evidence regarding the robotic approach to this technique, this study aims to evaluate the outcomes of this newly introduced procedure, focusing on the rate of 30-day complications and recurrence rates.

METHODS

Retrospective case series report. Patients included underwent an elective robotic modified retromuscular Sugarbaker technique for the repair of a parastomal hernia associated with an end colostomy. All surgeries were performed at a tertiary referral center from September 2020 to December 2023.

RESULTS

A total of 21 patients underwent a robotic modified retromuscular Sugarbaker in our study. The parastomal hernias operated on were classified according to the European Hernia Society as 9.5% (2/21) type I, 52.4% (11/21) type II, 23.8% (5/21) type III, 14.3% (3/21) type IV. Early complications observed included 14.3% (3/21) seroma, 9.5% (2/21) surgical site infection, 19% (4/21) postoperative ileus, and one case of large bowel obstruction due to colitis (4.8%), which was managed conservatively. No Clavien-Dindo grade III complications were reported. The overall recurrence rate was 9.5% (2/21) with a median follow-up of 12.5 months (IQR: 3.9-21.3). Both recurrences occurred during the early phases of the learning curve and were possibly attributed to insufficient lateralization of the stoma.

CONCLUSION

Robotic modified retromuscular Sugarbaker for parastomal hernia repair is a challenging procedure with promising early outcomes.

Minimally Invasive Pauli Parastomal Hernia Repair

BACKGROUND

Although originally described as an open procedure, the application in the setting of minimally invasive surgery of the Pauli technique for parastomal hernia repair is gaining interest among surgeons owing to encouraging early results. We aimed at combining and analyzing the results of minimally invasive Pauli repair by assessing the available evidence.

METHODS

A literature search in Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science was undertaken to include all articles reporting on minimally invasive repair of parastomal hernias using the Pauli technique.

RESULTS

Data regarding a total of 75 patients across 11 articles published between 2019 and 2023 were included. Patients received surgery either by a laparoscopic (27%) or robotic (73%) approach. A transabdominal route was chosen in 62 patients (83%), while an extraperitoneal technique was employed in the remaining 13 patients. The rate of postoperative morbidity was 34%, with 10% being the incidence of grade >II complications. The reported overall rate of recurrence was 7% at a median follow-up of 1 to 43 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The available evidence derived from a growing number of centers suggests that minimally invasive Pauli repair is a viable option to treat parastomal hernias. Despite robust, high-level data still lacking, preliminary experiences indicate promising results.

Robotic Pauli repair of parastomal hernia

BACKGROUND

Robotic retro-muscular mesh repair of parastomal hernia (PH) is possible with transversus abdominis release. The aim of this study is to report mid-term results with this method.

METHODS

Patients who underwent surgery for PH were enrolled in a prospective study. Patients with concomitant midline hernia also underwent Rives repair. Polypropylene meshes with an absorbable buffer mesh were used in the retro-muscular pocket-except PTFE was chosen for inflammatory bowel disease patients. Follow-up was by telephone and physical examination and CT if suspicion of complication.

RESULTS

Of the 56 included ostomy patients, 44 had colostomies, 10 had ileostomies, and two had urostomies. Thirty-nine percent had a concomitant hernia, and 25% had recurrent PH. The mean operating time without accessory repair was 156 min (SD 37), and with accessory repairs 220 min (SD 62). One bowel lesion and one vascular injury to the stoma occurred, prompting intraoperative stoma revision without postoperative morbidity. Postoperative complications ensued in 12 patients (23%). One patient had stoma necrosis after 3 weeks and the stoma was relocated. One patient had a mesh infection, 3 patients temporary ileus, one patient hypovolemic renal failure, and two patients experienced a flare-up of their Crohn's Disease. One parastomal abscess was drained percutaneously. The median postoperative stay was 3 days (1-21; mean 3.7 days), and the readmission rate was 8.9%. The recurrence rate at mean and median 24 months follow-up is 5.4%, two in ileostomy patients and one colostomy patient with unaltered bulging where CT shows a relatively large prolapse and recorded as a failure.

CONCLUSION

Robotic Pauli repair has shown promising results. However, repair fails of PH at small bowel ostomies with short mesentery. ePauli/TAR is now the preliminary choice for eligible patients at our site. Comparative studies with the intraperitoneal mesh standard are needed.

Perioperative and extended outcomes of patients undergoing parastomal hernia repair following cystectomy and ileal conduit

PURPOSE

To report perioperative and long-term postoperative outcomes of cystectomy patients with ileal conduit (IC) urinary diversion undergoing parastomal hernia (PSH) repair.

METHOD

We reviewed patients who underwent cystectomy and IC diversion between 2003 and 2022 in our center. Baseline variables, including surgical approach of PSH repair and repair technique, were captured. Multivariable Cox regressionanalysis was performed to test for the associations between different variables and PSH recurrence.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients with a median (IQR) age of 79 (73-82) years were included. The median time between cystectomy and PSH repair was 30 (14-49) months. Most PSH repairs (32/36, 89%) were performed electively, while 4 were due to small bowel obstruction. Hernia repairs were performed through open (n=25), robotic (10), and laparoscopic approaches (1). Surgical techniques included direct repair with mesh (20), direct repair without mesh (4), stoma relocation with mesh (5), and stomarelocation without mesh (7). The 90-day complication rate was 28%. In a median follow-up of 24 (7-47) months, 17 patients (47%) had a recurrence. The median time to recurrence was 9 (7-24) months. On multivariable analysis, 90-day complication following PSH repair was associated with an increased risk of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

In this report of one of the largest series of PSH repair in the Urology literature, 47% of patients had a recurrence following hernia repair with a median follow-up time of 2 years. There was no significant difference in recurrence rates when comparing repair technique or the use of open or minimally invasive approaches.

End-colostomy parastomal hernia repair: a systematic review on laparoscopic and robotic approaches

INTRODUCTION

Parastomal hernia (PSH) is the most common and challenging complication after stoma creation, with an estimated 50% incidence 2 years after the index surgery. Mesh repair is the treatment of choice. Laparoscopic and/or robotic approaches allow acceptable outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature review from January 2012 to November 2023 was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Embase, PubMed, and Scopus search were performed to select articles dealing with minimally invasive surgical treatment for PSH after end colostomy.

RESULTS

603 studies were found, and 24 were chosen. When compared to open surgery, laparoscopy showed decreased postoperative complications and recurrence. The main laparoscopic approaches are the keyhole (KH), the Sugarbaker (SB), and the sandwich technique. Continuous improvement in surgery, mesh technology, and surgeons' expertise led to an amelioration of surgical outcome and recurrence rate after repair. Recent studies showed comparable outcomes for SB and KH techniques, while novel surgical approaches have been proposed in an attempt to further increase the operative and long-term results. Reports on PSH robotic repairs are scarce and describe small series results, suggesting a role of the initial learning curve as a risk factor for complications.

CONCLUSION

End-colostomy PSH surgical repair still represents a challenge for surgeons. Recent evidence has not shown a significant advantage in postoperative complications and recurrence with a specific repair among SB, KH, and sandwich technique. The paucity of data on robotic surgery does not allow to draw definitive conclusion. Further primary, multicentric, and larger cohort studies are needed.

Repair of parastomal hernia after Bricker procedure: retrospective consecutive experience of a tertiary center

BACKGROUND

Ileal conduit parastomal hernias (ICPHs) are frequent after radical cystectomy with ileal conduit urinary diversion, but their management is debated. This study aimed to review the results of ICPH repair according to Sugarbaker or Sandwich techniques, with special interest in ICPH recurrence and urological complications.

METHODS

The authors reviewed a consecutive series of patients undergoing ICPH repair between January 2014 and December 2020. Primary endpoints were ICPH recurrences at clinical exam and cross-sectional abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans. Secondary endpoints were any other complications possibly related to the ICPH repair.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients underwent ICPH repair surgery (16 Sugarbaker and 7 Sandwich techniques) during the study period. Sixteen patients underwent a primary laparoscopic approach. All but one patient underwent at least one abdominal CT during the follow-up. Median clinical and CT scan follow-up times were 57 and 50.5 months, respectively. Clinical and CT ICPH recurrence rates were 4.5% and 13% at 5 years, respectively. Eighteen patients (78%) suffered no urological complications during the follow-up period, but three patients (13%) needed redo surgery on the urinary ileal conduit.

CONCLUSION

The modified Sugarbaker or Sandwich techniques might be considered as promising techniques for ICPH repair with a low rate of recurrence. The urological complications, and particularly the ileal conduit-related issues, need to be evaluated in further studies. Controlled and prospective data are required to compare the Sugarbaker and Sandwich techniques to the Keyhole approach for ICPH repairs.

Robotic Retromuscular (Recurrent) Parastomal Hernia Repair (r-Pauli-Repair) With Synthetically Reinforced Biological Mesh; Technique, Early Experience, and Short-Term Follow-Up

Introduction: Parastomal hernia repair remains a challenge. We describe a robotic retromuscular non-keyhole mesh repair using a synthetically reinforced biological mesh (Ovitex) for the repair of complex and/or recurrent parastomal hernia and technical modifications we made along the way to improve our technique. Methods: All patients underwent the described retromuscular parastomal hernia repair. Data was collected in a database and a retrospective analysis was performed on direct postoperative results and early follow-up. Results: Eleven patients underwent the operation. Median follow-up was 12 months. Median LOS was 6 days. Two recurrences occurred. One patient suffered postoperative hematoma and skin necrosis, which healed completely, but did lead to a recurrence. One patient had a significant seroma, which subsided without intervention. Both recurrences were reoperated, and a local repair was performed. Conclusion: This paper is the first to describe a modified robotic Pauli repair for complex and recurrent parastomal hernia, using a synthetically reinforced biological mesh. Results are satisfying so far, especially considering the complexity of the cases.

Full endoscopic minimally invasive extraperitoneal modified Sugarbaker approach for para-colostomy hernia repair: Technical aspects and 2-year follow-up results of a prospective cohort

AIM

This study aimed to assess technical aspects and clinical results of a new minimally invasive technique in parastomal hernia (PSH) repair, full endoscopic retromuscular access, after 2 years of follow-up.

METHODS

Data from consecutive patients requiring minimally invasive ventral PSH repair were collected from 2019 to 2022. The inclusion criteria were patients aged between 18 and 80 years old with symptomatic PSH. Demographics and perioperative and postoperative data were collected. Postoperative pain and functional recovery were compared with preoperative data.

RESULTS

Twelve patients with symptomatic PSH were included. The mean PSH defect area was 16.2 cm2 and the mean midline defect was 8.7 cm2 . No intra-operative complications or conversion to open surgery were detected. One patient (8%) required postoperative readmission due to partial bowel obstruction symptoms that required catheterization of the stoma. Pain significantly worsened after the first postoperative day compared to preoperative data but improved after the first postoperative month compared to the first postoperative week and after the 90th postoperative day compared to the first postoperative month, with significant differences. Significant restriction improvement was identified when 30 days after surgery data were compared to preoperative data and when the 180th postoperative day results were compared to 30 days after surgery. The average follow-up was 29 months. During the follow-up no clinical or radiological recurrence was observed.

CONCLUSION

This paper shows low rate of intra- and postoperative complications with significant improvement in terms of pain activities restriction compared to preoperatory. After 29 months follow-up, no recurrence was identified, confirming that this approach offers good mid-term results.