Mesh erosion into urinary bladder, rare condition but important to know.

BACKGROUND: Although rare, mesh migration or erosion into viscera has been reported as case report, and most of the cases involved with the urinary bladder. With the increasing use of prosthetic mesh in hernia repair, this severe complication would increase in the future; thus, we feel that it is necessary to analyze the clinical patterns of mesh erosion into the urinary bladder, and to discuss the prevention and treatment of this severe complication.

METHOD: In the present study, we made a thorough identification of all published reports on mesh migration or erosion into the urinary bladder, and the data were summarized, analysed, and discussed.

RESULTS: A total of 23 cases of mesh erosion into urinary bladder were reported since 1994. Among them, two cases were from incisional hernia repairs, and 21 cases were following inguinal hernia repairs. The most frequently reported procedures were TAPP, followed by TEP. The duration from initial hernia repair to the onset of mesh erosion into bladder varied greatly (3 months-20 years), and most of cases occurred in 1-5 years after the initial hernia repair (10/23, 43.5%), while a certain number of cases occurred 10 years after hernia repair (6/23, 26.1%). Most of these cases were treated with mesh removal via a open procedure (12/22, 54.5%), and in 7 cases (7/22, 31.8%), the partial cystectomy was performed as well as mesh removal. Laparoscopic or robotic treatment procedures were performed in three cases.

CONCLUSION: Mesh erosion into the urinary bladder can occur after both open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs in a wide range of duration. This complication most frequently happened following laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. It was usually treated with partial or complete mesh removal, with or without partial cystectomy. A registry system is necessary for monitoring this complication.