Autologous tunica vaginalis communis graft as a biological alternative to internal obturator muscle transposition for reconstruction of canine perineal hernia: A retrospective comparative clinical study

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Perineal hernia (PH) is a common condition affecting intact male dogs and results from progressive weakening of the pelvic diaphragm, often leading to displacement of pelvic organs and impaired defecation. Although internal obturator muscle transposition (IOMT) is widely used for surgical reconstruction, autologous biological grafts may provide an alternative when pelvic diaphragm musculature is compromised. This retrospective comparative study evaluated the clinical outcomes of three surgical techniques for canine PH repair. Thirty intact male dogs with unilateral or bilateral PH were allocated according to the surgical technique performed: autologous tunica vaginalis communis (TVC) graft reconstruction (n = 10), IOMT (n = 10), or conventional appositional herniorrhaphy (n = 10). All dogs underwent bilateral orchiectomy. Surgical time differed significantly among groups (P = 0.0038), whereas intraoperative blood loss did not (P = 0.0963). The proportion of dogs experiencing at least one postoperative complication was 10%, 30%, and 50% in the TVC graft, IOMT, and conventional herniorrhaphy groups, respectively; however, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.204). No recurrence was observed following TVC graft reconstruction or IOMT during the 12-month follow-up, whereas recurrence occurred in two dogs (20%) following conventional herniorrhaphy; this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.310). Healing time, postoperative pain, and cosmetic appearance did not differ significantly among groups, whereas owner satisfaction differed significantly overall (P &lt; 0.001). Autologous TVC graft reconstruction was technically feasible and was associated with favourable clinical outcomes during the 12-month follow-up. Although the absence of recurrence and the numerically lower frequency of postoperative complications following TVC reconstruction are encouraging, these findings do not establish superiority or equivalence relative to IOMT. Larger prospective, randomized studies with longer follow-up are warranted.</p>