EP39 Emergency Minimally Invasive Surgery for Obturator Hernias: A Systematic Review of the Literature

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Abstract Background Despite their rarity, obturator hernias pose significant clinical challenges due to their high complication rate and frequent emergency presentation. While minimally invasive surgery has proven effective and safe for elective groin hernia repair, its application in emergency settings, particularly for obturator hernias, lacks robust evidence, highlighting a critical knowledge gap in this area. Methods A systematic review was conducted searching PubMed, OVID, Embase, and Cochrane reviews for ((Obturator hernia) AND (laparoscop* OR minimal access OR robotic)) AND (strangulat* OR obstruct* OR incarcerat*). Results A systematic review of 337 manuscripts identified 47 relevant studies, including 39 case reports, 3 case series, and 5 retrospective studies. Conclusion The findings suggest that minimal access surgery can effectively avoid unnecessary laparotomy for hernial content assessment, particularly when employing the TAPP approach. While emergency repair of obturator hernias using minimal access techniques appears feasible and safe, achieving outcomes comparable to open surgery requires further high-quality evidence.