An Extremely Rare Case Report of a Retroperitoneal Hernia Following Spinal Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Retroperitoneal hernias are extremely rare lumbar wall defects. Secondary hernias can occur after previous flank surgeries, infection or trauma. There is a paucity of literature regarding lumbar incisional hernias, most of them related to lateral approaches to the spine. Research Question: The objective of this article is to report a rare case of a retroperitoneal hernia following spinal surgery. Material and Methods: We review a rare presentation of a symptomatic acquired retroperitoneal hernia following several posterior lumbar spine approaches. An extensive literature review regarding retroperitoneal hernia and its relation to spinal surgery was performed. Results: A successful hernia repair suturing the transversalis fascia to the middle layer of the thoracolumbar fascia using a biological mesh was performed, with resolution of the hernia symptoms. Discussion and Conclusion: Although retroperitoneal hernias are extremely rare, we must emphasize the importance of an adequate surgical exposure in order to preserve the retroperitoneal and thoracolumbar fasciae as biological barriers during surgical approaches to the spine.