Bladder hernias: Report of 4 cases and literature review

Abstract

– Bladder hernia is a rare pathology found in men over 50 years old in particular and almost always associated with bladder neck obstruction. The authors report 4 cases of bladder hernia treated surgically between April 1984 and November 1995. The average age of patients was 67.5 years (range: 61–75), who presented with non-specific voiding disturbances associated with an inguinal mass which increased in volume during voiding. Diagnosis was made on the basis of pyelographic results. Conservative surgery (reduction of the hernia and reconstruction of the inguinal channel) was carried out in 3 cases, while the hernia was excised in the remaining patient due to its large size, the narrow neck of the sac and the severe damage to the herniated bladder wall. Prostatic adenomectomy was carried out at the same time in all patients, by transvesical approach in 3 cases and transurethral in one. The histological exam showed adenofibroleiomuscular hyperplasia of the prostate in all cases, in one being associated with a prostatic adenocarcinoma. After an average follow-up of 93.75 months (range 20–170), results were good in all patients.