Outcomes of Robot Assisted Trans Abdominal Retromuscular Umbilical Prosthesis (rTARUP) - A Dutch Multicenter Study

Sep 29, 2026

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Robotic assisted Trans Abdominal Retromuscular Umbilical Prosthesis (rTARUP) is increasingly used for ventral hernia, yet prospective long-term evidence remains limited. This Dutch multicenter study evaluated 125 patients selected from prospectively collected databases at two teaching hospitals. Outcomes included surgical results, hernia recurrence, and hernia-related quality-of-life measures using short-term retrospective review and prospectively collected follow-up. Results assessed 30-day complications and medium-term patient-reported improvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Aim

Material and Methods

Setting and patient selection

Results

Conclusion

Keywords

Introduction

Background: ventral hernia and prior techniques

Evolution from TARUP to rTARUP

Methods

Setting

Patient selection

*Correspondence Alexander L. Bloemendaal, [bobbloemendaal@gmail.com](bobbloemendaal@gmail.com) Received: 24 August 2025 Revised: 30 October 2025 Accepted: 14 November 2025 Published: 22 December 2025 Citation: Baart JE, Sloothaak DAM, Simons MP and BloemendaalAL (2025) Outcomes of Robot Assisted Trans Abdominal Retromuscular Umbilical Prosthesis (rTARUP): A Dutch Multicenter Study. J. Abdom. Wall Surg. 4:15479. doi: 10.3389/jaws.2025.15479 Outcomes of Robot Assisted Trans Abdominal Retromuscular Umbilical Prosthesis (rTARUP): A Dutch Multicenter Study Julotte E. Baart 1, DidiA. M. Sloothaak2, Maarten P. Simons 3 and Alexander L. Bloemendaal 1 * 1Department of Surgery, Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Delft, Netherlands, 2Department of Surgery, Spaarne Gasthuis Hoofddorp, Hoofddorp, Netherlands, 3Department of Surgery, OLVG, Amsterdam, Netherlands Aim: Robotic assisted Trans Abdominal Retromuscular Umbilical Prosthesis (rTARUP) is being increasingly performed to treat Ventral Hernia. Prospective (long-term) studies are scarce. In this study we investigated 125 patients with short and long-term follow-up, regarding surgical and hernia-related quality-of-life outcomes. Material and Methods: Patients undergoing rTARUP were selected from consecutive prospectively collected databases from two teaching hospitals from the Netherlands. The patients were operated by experienced surgeons in a standardized manner . Patient characteristics and short-term outcomes after surgery were retrospectively reviewed and follow up data about hernia recurrence and quality of life was prospectively collected. Results: 125 rTARUP patients were included for analysis. The most common hernia type was primary (n = 61), followed by recurrent (n = 37) and incisional (n = 27) . The median surgical time was 90 min. 44/61 (72%) patients with a primary ventral hernia were treated as daycase. The 30-day complication rate was 7 .2% . Median follow up was 24 months after which a large majority of patients (84%) reported to feel better or much better. There were 3 reoperations for recurrences (2 .4%) . Conclusion: rTARUP is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed in a timely manner, with short hospital stay and a low complication rate. Further research is needed into economical costs and beneﬁts to fully justify the use of robotic surgery for these indications. Keywords: TARM, rTARUP, abdominal wall hernia, robotic abdominal wall repair, ventral hernia repair INTRODUCTION Ventral abdominal wall hernia has an estimated prevalence of 5% in the general population [1] and is increasingly prevalent due to an aging and increasingly obese society, receiving more abdominal surgery [2] . The Rives Stoppa procedure is a proven efﬁcacious treatment for ventral abdominal wall hernia and the retrorectus mesh placement may be considered most favorable [3, 4] . In 2022, a systemic review showed superior outcomes compared to other techniques. However, surgical site Journal of Abdominal Wall Surgery | Published by Frontiers 1 December 2025 | Volume 4 | Article 15479 infection was less prevalent in intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) repair, clearly beneﬁtting from the minimally invasive approach [3] . The IPOM technique was a ﬁrst attempt at minimally invasive hernia repair, seeking beneﬁts of less extensive dissection in the subcutaneous tissue, shorter hospital stays, and fewer surgical site infections. However, complications such as recurrences, bulging, formation of intraperitoneal adhesions, ﬁstulas, and bowel damage are known complications of IPOM repair [5, 6] . Combining the beneﬁts of a minimally invasive (laparoscopic) approach and retromuscular mesh position, Schroeder et al. described a laparoscopic transabdominal technique: the Trans Abdominal Retrorectus Umbilical Prosthesis (TARUP) . Authors concluded that the new approach was a safe and effective alternative to open Rives Stoppa, but also a technically demanding procedur

FAQs

What was the objective of the rTARUP study?

The study aimed to investigate short- and long-term surgical outcomes and hernia-related quality-of-life outcomes in patients treated with robotic assisted rTARUP for ventral hernia.

How were patients selected and followed?

Patients were selected from consecutively collected prospectively maintained databases from two Dutch teaching hospitals. Short-term outcomes were retrospectively reviewed, while recurrence and quality-of-life data were collected prospectively during follow-up.

What did the study report about complications, recurrence, and patient-reported improvement?

The 30-day complication rate was 7.2%, with a median follow-up of 24 months; 84% of patients reported feeling better or much better, and there were 3 reoperations for recurrences (2.4%).

Why is the study considered important compared with prior evidence?

It provides prospective long-term follow-up data in a setting where such studies are described as scarce, adding evidence on safety, effectiveness, and quality-of-life outcomes after rTARUP implementation in two teaching hospitals.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Eliana