Simplified technique for incisional hernia repair with mesh prosthesis

This paper describes a simplified technique for the repair of incisional hernias. The previous scar is resected, and the peritoneal sac is carefully dissected until it is completely exposed. The sac is opened to liberate structures adherent to the sac or to the area immediately surrounding the defect. The peritoneum is closed and invaginated to form a sac bed underlying the entire extent of the defect, and the mesh is laid on this sac bed. The mesh is then fixed with "U" stitches, reinforcing these by inserting a second line from the edge of the defect to the mesh. Suture material used is polypropylene 1/0 or 2/0. This procedure has been carried out on 15 patients, and after 1 year of follow-up, there has been no recurrence of the hernia. Operating time was reduced, and the surgical technique was found to be easier. Placing a mesh prosthesis inside the hernia sac and fixing it to the abdominal wall with two lines of suturing simplifies the repair procedure, reduces operating time, and is effective in the repair of all incisional hernias. A study is required to compare this outcome with the different mesh repair techniques.     

Classification of primary and incisional abdominal wall hernias

Purpose  A classification for primary and incisional abdominal wall hernias is needed to allow comparison of publications and future studies on these hernias. It is important to know whether the populations described in different studies are comparable. Methods  Several members of the EHS board and some invitees gathered for 2 days to discuss the development of an EHS classification for primary and incisional abdominal wall hernias. Results  To distinguish primary and incisional abdominal wall hernias, a separate classification based on localisation and size as the major risk factors was proposed. Further data are needed to define the optimal size variable for classification of incisional hernias in order to distinguish subgroups with differences in outcome. Conclusions  A classification for primary abdominal wall hernias and a division into subgroups for incisional abdominal wall hernias, concerning the localisation of the hernia, was formulated.

Preliminary results with the reinforced tension line: a new technique for patients with ventral abdominal wall hernias

BACKGROUND: After median laparotomy, excessive horizontal tensile forces on the suture base or scar tissue lead to incisional hernias or recurrent hernias. Our new suture technique, known as reinforced tension line (RTL), allows peak tensile forces to be distributed from the suture base to the surrounding tissue through a longitudinal suture, thereby preventing the suture from cutting through the tissue. METHODS: From April 2002 to April 2005, the RTL technique was used to treat 103 patients with ventral abdominal wall hernias > or = 3 cm in size. In patients with larger hernias, tensile forces were measured intraoperatively. Patients with tensions > or = 40 N during fascial closure were excluded from the study. Comorbidities, as well as intraoperative and postoperative complications, were recorded. Early and late complications were monitored during a follow-up period of 12 to 48 months. RESULTS: Tensile loads > or = 40 N in the fascia were recorded in 7 of 103 patients. The 7 patients were treated with mesh prostheses and excluded from the study. The mean age of the remaining 96 patients was 64 years, and the mean size of the hernial orifice was 58 cm2 (range 7-211 cm2). Twenty-eight patients with hernias underwent acute surgery. No intraoperative complications were encountered. After surgery, 5 patients developed hematomas that did not require revision surgery. Five asymptomatic recurrences (5.5%) were diagnosed during a mean follow-up period of 32 months. CONCLUSIONS: The use of RTL allows the loads impinging on the suture base to be distributed over the surrounding tissue. Rupture of the thread from the suture base is prevented, and abdominal wall hernias can be treated effectively. Particularly in cases of acute surgery or contamination of the surgical area, or in the presence of other contraindications for using mesh, the RTL technique is an excellent alternative to mesh repair. These favorable preliminary results must be evaluated in further investigations.     

Laparoscopic sutured closure with mesh reinforcement of incisional hernias

Background This study reports medium-term outcomes of laparoscopic incisional hernia repair. Study Design Laparoscopic repair was performed on 721 patients with ventral hernia. After adhesiolysis the defect was closed with no. 1 polyamide suture or loop. This was followed by reinforcement with intraperitoneal onlay repair with a bilayered mesh. Results Laproscopic repair of ventral hernia was performed on 613 females and 108 males. Of these, 185 (25.7%) were recurrent incisional hernias of which 93 had undergone previous open hernioplasty. The remaining 92 patients had previously undergone sutured repair. The average operating time was 95 min (range 60–115 min). Conversion rate was 1%. The average hospital stay was 2 days (range 1–6 days). The commonest complication was seroma formation at the incisional hernia site. Full-thickness bowel injury occurred in two patients. The mean follow-up period was 4.2 years (range 3 months to 10 years). Recurrence was noted in four (0.55%) patients. Conclusion Laparoscopic repair is well-tolerated and can be accomplished with minimum morbidity in ventral hernias.     

Repair of large midline incisional hernias with polypropylene mesh: Comparison of three operative techniques

Polypropylene mesh is widely used for the reconstruction of incisional hernias that cannot be closed primarily. Several techniques have been advocated to implant the mesh. The objective of this study was to evaluate, retrospectively, early and late results of three different techniques, onlay, inlay, and underlay. The records of 53 consecutive patients with a large midline incisional hernia — 25 women and 28 men, mean age 60.4 (range 28–94) — were reviewed. Polypropylene mesh was implanted using the onlay technique in 13 patients, inlay in 23 patients, and underlay in 17 patients. Either the greater omentum or a polyglactin mesh was interponated between the mesh and the viscera. The records of these 53 patients were reviewed with respect to: size and cause of the hernia, pre- and postoperative mortality and morbidity, with special attention to wound complications. Patients were invited to attend the outpatient clinic at least 12 months after implantation of the mesh for physical examination of the abdominal wall. Postoperative complications occurred in 14 (26.4%) patients. The onlay technique had significantly more complications, as compared to both other techniques. Reherniation occurred in 15 (28.3%) patients. The reherniation rate of the inlay technique was significantly higher than after the underlay technique (44% vs 12%, P=0.03) and tended to be higher than the onlay technique (44% vs 23%, P=0.22). Repair of large midline incisional hernias with the use of a polypropylene mesh carries a high risk of complications and has a high reherniation rate. The underlay technique seems to be the better technique.     

肌后间隙修补法治疗腹壁切口疝患者的疗效

目的探讨肌后间隙修补法（Sublay）在腹壁切口疝患者治疗中的手术效果。 方法回顾性分析2015年1月至2017年8月,首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院疝和腹壁外科107例行Sublay手术的腹壁切口疝患者的临床资料,分析患者的一般资料、手术方法、并发症及术后转归情况,随访其有无切口疝复发及补片相关并发症发生情况。 结果本组患者均顺利完成手术,平均手术时间（60.3±7.8）min,平均住院时间（17.6±5.3）d,所有患者术后恢复良好,2例患者出现脂肪液化,经换药后伤口愈合;1例患者出现皮下血肿,1例患者出现血清肿,经局部加压保守治疗后治愈,无伤口感染及局部异物感,无死亡患者。随访时间6～38个月,平均随访时间（22.7±10.8）个月,无切口疝复发,无死亡患者,无补片感染、慢性疼痛及局部异物感等补片相关并发症发生。 结论肌后间隙修补手术（Sublay）治疗腹壁切口疝结果满意,手术疗效较好。     

Laparoscopic cure of small ventral hernias with composite mesh

BACKGROUND: The use of mesh is recommended to reduce the rate of recurrence after the curing of ventral hernias. METHODS: A multicentre prospective trial was conducted to assess the laparoscopic cure of small ventral hernias with a composite mesh. RESULTS: Around 222 patients entered the trial and received laparoscopic repair for ventral hernias of less than 5 cm. There was one conversion. The mean length of post-operative hospitalisation was 2.5 days. At 1 year, the recurrence rate was 2%. Two meshes were removed due to infection, 3% of the patients were using analgesics and 86.1% of the patients described no pain on EVA scoring. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic cure of small ventral hernias with composite mesh is efficient. Further technical progress is warranted to reduce the rate of seroma formation.     

Retrofascial mesh repair of ventral incisional hernias

BACKGROUND: Recurrence rates after ventral incisional hernia repair are reported to be as high as 33% and are associated with considerable morbidity and lost time. The purpose of this study was to determine if retrofascial mesh placement reduces the incidence of recurrence as well as the severity of wound infections. METHODS: A prospective database covering the period from January 1995 to June 2003 was maintained. All patients underwent a standardized technique by a single surgeon. Polypropylene mesh was placed between the fascia and the peritoneum with the fascia closed over the mesh. RESULTS: There were 150 patients (126 women, 24 men) with a mean age of 55 years. Their average weight was 88 kg, with an average body mass index of 32. Sixty-three (42%) of the hernias were recurrences of a previous repair. The average size of the hernia was 8 x 14 cm. There was 1 postoperative mortality. There was a 9% postoperative infection rate with 2 patients (1%) requiring mesh removal. Long-term follow-up evaluation has revealed 3 recurrences (2%) and 3 readmissions for bowel obstruction with 1 patient requiring surgical release. There were no fistulas noted. CONCLUSIONS: Incisional hernia repair with mesh placed in the retrofascial position decreases both the risk for recurrence and the severity of wound infection without significant problems from bowel obstruction or enteric fistula.     

Three-year outcome after anterior component separation repair of giant ventral hernias: A retrospective analysis of the original technique without mesh

IntroductionIn this study we presented our results with anterior component separation technique utilized in the repair of giant ventral hernias. Our primary endpoints were the rates of surgical site occurrences and recurrence at three years. Besides we investigated the impact of components separation repair on abdominal wall functions.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the prospectively-collected data of 40 patients that were operated on between April 2004 and February 2012 for their median ventral hernias sizing larger than 15 cm in width. Our inclusion criteria for component separation program excellently corresponded today's “giant ventral hernia” standards. The method used for components separation was identical to the original Ramirez technique, and did not comprise of any mesh reinforcement. The ICU stays, prolonged intubation, early and late complications, mortality and recurrences at three years were recorded. We used a curl-up test to demonstrate the amelioration of the abdominal wall functions postoperatively.ResultsThe older age and larger defect size were the significant risk factors necessitating prolonged intensive care. Surgical site occurrences were recorded in 18 patients (45.0%). A total of 7 recurrences (17.5%) were detected at three years. Patients showed a significant improvement in raising their trunks after repair (p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated that components separation technique in the original form caused excessive wound complications including skin necrosis which in turn caused delayed discharge from the hospital. The 17.5% recurrence rate seemed higher than those of more recent papers. The already-established newer modifications should be integrated in the repair method. The components separation repair clearly improves abdominal wall functions.     

Robot-assisted laparoscopic mesh repair of incisional hernias with exclusive intracorporeal suturing: a pilot study

Background The da Vinci robot laparoscopic incisional hernia repair with intracorporeal suturing may offer an alternative to transabdominal sutures and tackers. Methods From 2003 to 2005, 11 patients (median age, 71 years; median body mass index [BMI], 28) with small and medium-sized incisional hernias (median fascial defect, 19.6 cm²) were treated with the da Vinci robot system using intracorporeal mesh fixation with interrupted sutures. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility and report the morbidity with special reference to postoperative pain and long-term recurrence. Results The median operative time was 180 min. There was no conversion to open or standard laparoscopy and no postoperative mortality. The overall morbidity rate was 27%. One patient underwent reoperation on postoperative day 3 for peritonitis secondary to small bowel injury. The median visual analog pain score on postoperative day 1 was 3. Seven patients (63%) needed parenteral paracetamol until postoperative day 2. The median hospital stay was 3 days. During a median follow-up period of 25 months, no patient experienced recurrent hernia. One patient had a trocar-site herniation at 6 months. No patient experienced chronic suture site pain or discomfort. Conclusion This is the first report of robot-assisted laparoscopic incisional hernia with exclusive intracorporeal suturing for mesh fixation in humans. The findings show that this technique is feasible and may not be associated with chronic postoperative pain. Further evaluation is needed to assess the benefit to the patient, but this investigation may be the basis for a future, prospective, randomized study.     

Modifications to Rives technique for midline incisional hernia repair

Between 1990 and 1997, 284 patients were treated in our hospital for abdominal hernias. In the original group, 239 patients (84.15%) had midline hernia, and 45 (15.8%) had lateral hernia. A total of 152 midline hernia patients (63.5%) were treated using our variant of Rives technique. In all these cases, preperitoneal and retromuscular polypropylene mesh was used as a reinforcement and was subsequently attached by means of absorbable sutures to the external border of the rectus muscles. There were no deaths. A total of 42 of all patients operated on (27.6%) suffered from long-term postoperative pain. In seven cases (4.6%) it was necessary to remove the prosthesis because of chronic infection, and there were two recurrences in patients in whom the prosthesis had to be removed. In our experience, the Rives technique is a suitable and safe treatment for the repair of midline incisional hernias. The use of absorbable sutures and fixation of the mesh to the external oblique aponeurosis can reduce the original problems of abdominal pain and unaesthetic skin scars. Electronic Publication     

Comparison of open and laparoscopic prosthetic repair of large ventral hernias.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Open ventral hernia repair is associated with significant morbidity and high recurrence rates. Recently, the laparoscopic approach has evolved as an attractive alternative. Our objective was to compare open with laparoscopic ventral hernia repairs. METHODS: Fifty laparoscopic and 22 open ventral hernia repairs were included in the study. All patients underwent a tension-free repair with retromuscular placement of the prosthesis. No significant difference between the 2 groups was noted regarding patient demographics and hernia characteristics except that the population in the open group was relatively older (59.4 vs 47.82, P < 0.003). RESULTS: We found no significant difference in the operative time between the 2 groups (laparoscopic 132.7 min vs open 152.7 min). Laparoscopic repair was associated with a significant reduction in the postoperative narcotic requirements (27 vs 58.95 mg i.v. morphine, P < 0.002) and the lengths of nothing by mouth (NPO) status (10 vs 55.3 hrs. P < 0.001), and hospital stay (1.88 vs 5.38 days, P < 0.001). The incidence of major complications (1 vs 4, P < 0.028), the hernia recurrence (1 vs 4, P < 0.028), and the time required for return to work (25.95 vs 47.8, P < 0.036) were significantly reduced in the laparoscopic group. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic ventral hernioplasty offers significant advantages and should be considered for repair of primary and incisional ventral hernias.     

Telerobotic laparoscopic repair of incisional ventral hernias using intraperitoneal prosthetic mesh.

Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair shortens the length of hospital stay and achieves low rates of hernia recurrence. The inherent difficulties of performing advanced laparoscopy operations, however, have limited the adoption of this technique by many surgeons. We hypothesized that the virtual operative field and hand-like instruments of a telerobotic surgical system could overcome these limitations. We present herein the first 2 reported cases of telerobotic laparoscopic ventral hernia repair with mesh. The operations were accomplished with the da Vinci telerobotic surgical system. The hernia defects were repaired with dual-sided, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) mesh. The mesh was secured in place with 8 sutures that were passed through the abdominal wall, and 5-mm surgical tacks were placed around the circumference of the mesh. The 2 operations were accomplished with total operative times of 120 and 135 minutes and total operating room times of 166 and 180 minutes, respectively. The patients were discharged home on postoperative days 1 and 4. The surgeon sat in an ergonomically comfortable position at a computer console that was remote from the patient. Immersion of the surgeon within the 3-dimensional virtual operative field expedited each stage of these procedures. The articulation of the wristed telerobotic instruments greatly facilitated reaching the anterior abdominal cavity near the abdominal wall. This report indicates that telerobotic laparoscopic ventral hernia repair is feasible and suggests that telepresence technology facilitates this procedure.     

Laparoscopically assisted components separation technique for ventral incisional hernia repair

Reconstruction of the abdominal wall to repair ventral hernias continues to pose a challenge to surgeons due to relatively high rates of recurrence and morbidity. In 1990, Ramirez pioneered a technique of components separation of the abdominal wall for ventral hernia repair. Although an effective hernia repair, the mobilization of skin and subcutaneous tissue endangers the blood supply and predisposes midline skin to necrosis. The goal of this study is to determine whether releasing incisions in the transversus abdominis fascia and posterior rectus sheath provide adequate mobilization of the abdominal wall necessary for ventral hernia repair, thus paving the way for a laparoscopic component separation technique. Ten fresh cadavers were used and one side of the abdomen underwent the conventional Ramirez components separation: midline incision, dissection of skin and subcutaneous tissue off the anterior abdominal wall, and incisions in the external oblique aponeurosis and posterior rectus sheath, while the other side received incisions in the transversus abdominis fascia and the posterior rectus sheath with no undermining of the skin. The amount of fascial translation was measured after each incision. Incising only the external oblique aponeurosis produced greater mobilization of the abdominal wall at the level of the umbilicus (P = 0.02) and anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS, P = 0.029) than releasing only transversus abdominis fascia. More importantly, there was no statistically significant difference in the amount of release produced by the complete internal-release components separation versus the conventional technique. In order to test the feasibility of performing the procedure laparoscopically, one additional cadaver underwent a laparoscopic transversus abdominis fascia release. The procedure was successful and resulted in comparable amounts of fascial release as the other 10 cadavers. From this study, it appears technically feasible to perform a laparoscopic components separation to repair a ventral hernia and the procedure produces the same amount of release as the conventional open component separation technique.     

Laparoscopic treatment of ventral abdominal wall hernias: preliminary results in 100 patients.

OBJECTIVE: The laparoscopic treatment of eventrations and ventral hernias has been little used, although these hernias are well suited to a laparoscopic approach. The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a laparoscopic approach in the surgical treatment of ventral hernias. METHODS: Between January 1994 and July 1998, a series of 100 patients suffering from major abdominal wall defects were operated on by means of laparoscopic techniques, with a mean postoperative follow-up of 30 months. The mean number of defects was 2.7 per patient, the wall defect was 93 cm2 on average. There were 10 minor hernias (<5 cm), 52 medium-size hernias (5-10 cm), and 38 large hernia (>10 cm). The origin of the wall defect was primary in 21 cases and postsurgical in 79. Three access ports were used, and the defects were covered with PTFE Dual Mesh measuring 19 x 15 cm in 54 cases, 10 x 15 cm in 36 cases, and 12 x 8 cm in 10 cases. An additional mesh had to be added in 21 cases. In the last 30 cases, PTFE Dual Mesh Plus with holes was employed. RESULTS: Average surgery time was 62 minutes. One procedure was converted to open surgery, and only one patient required a second operation in the early postoperative period. Minor complications included 2 patients with abdominal wall edema, 10 seromas, and 3 subcutaneous hematomas. There were no trocar site infections. Two patients developed hernia relapse (2%) in the first month after surgery and were reoperated with a similar laparoscopic technique. Oral intake and mobilization began a few hours after surgery. The mean stay in hospital was 28 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic technique makes it possible to avoid large incisions, the placement of drains, and produces a lower number of seromas, infections and relapses. Laparoscopic access considerably shortens the time spent in the hospital.     

Laparoscopic versus open ventral hernia mesh repair: a prospective study

Background An incisional hernia develops in 3% to 13% of laparotomy incisions, with primary suture repair of ventral hernias yielding unsatisfactory results. The introduction of a prosthetic mesh to ensure abdominal wall strength without tension has decreased the recurrence rate, but open repair requires significant soft tissue dissection in tissues that are already of poor quality as well as flap creation, increasing complication rates and affecting the recurrence rate. A minimally invasive approach was applied to the repair pf ventral hernias, with the expectation of earlier recovery, fewer postoperative complications, and decreased recurrence rates. This prospective study was performed to objectively analyze and compare the outcomes after open and laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. Methods The outcomes for 50 unselected patients who underwent laparoscopic ventral hernia repair were compared with those for 50 consecutive unselected patients who underwent open repair. The open surgical operations were performed by the Rives and Stoppa technique using prosthetic mesh, whereas the laparoscopic repairs were performed using the intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) repair technique in all cases. Results The study group consisted of 100 patients (82 women and 18 men) with a mean age of 55.25 years (range, 30–83 years). The patients in the two groups were comparable at baseline in terms of sex, presenting complaints, and comorbid conditions. The patients in laparoscopic group had larger defects (93.96 vs 55.88 cm²; p = 0.0023). The mean follow-up time was 20.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 18.5640–23.0227 months). The mean surgery durations were 90.6 min for the laparoscopic repair and 93.3 min for the open repair (p = 0.769, nonsignificant difference). The mean postoperative stay was shorter for the laparoscopic group than for the open hernia group (2.7 vs 4.7 days; p = 0.044). The pain scores were similar in the two groups at 24 and 48 h, but significantly less at 72 h in the laparoscopic group (mean visual analog scale score, 2.9412 vs 4.1702; p = 0.001). There were fewer complications (24%) and recurrences (2%) among the patients who underwent laparoscopic repair than among those who had open repair (30% and 10%, respectively). Conclusions The findings demonstrate that laparoscopic ventral hernia repair in our experience was safe and resulted in shorter operative time, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, and less recurrence. Hence, it should be considered as the procedure of choice for ventral hernia repair.     

Ventralex mesh in umbilical/epigastric hernia repairs: clinical outcomes and complications

BACKGROUND: Umbilical and epigastric hernias have historically been repaired without mesh resulting in recurrence rates in some series of up to 40%. Recent data suggests mesh repair of these hernias may decrease recurrent hernia rates. Ideal placement of the mesh is behind the defect, which is difficult to do without a large incision in these hernias unless done laparoscopically. The Ventralex hernia patch is a composite PTFE/polypropylene patch allowing intraperitoneal placement behind the hernia defect through a small incision, and without the cost of laparoscopy. To date, only one study exists evaluating this new prosthesis. METHODS: This study is a retrospective chart review of all umbilical and epigastric hernias repaired with the Ventralex hernia patch by a single surgeon. Patient characteristics and operative and post-operative data were collected. Hernia recurrence is the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include complication rates. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients from 2003-2006 were evaluated. The population included patients aged 25-86 (mean 52) with nineteen females (22%). The average BMI was 32 (range 18-68). Eighteen patients were smokers, five patients were diabetic, and two patients were chronic steroid users. The size of patches used were small (72%), medium (27%), and unknown (1%). Average operating room time was 52 min (range 19-194). The different types of hernias repaired were umbilical (68%), epigastric (30%), and incisional (2%). Follow-up visits ranged from 8 days to 3.1 years in all but five patients (6%). No hernia recurrences were found in follow-up. Complications included two patients (2.2%) with mesh infection requiring removal of the patch, one patient with post-operative urinary retention, and seroma formation in another patient. CONCLUSIONS: The composite PTFE/polypropylene hernia patch is effective in preventing hernia recurrence in umbilical, epigastric, and small ventral hernia repairs and can be accomplished with a low rate of complications.     

Stapled Transabdominal Ostomy Reinforcement with retromuscular mesh (STORRM): Technical details and early outcomes of a novel approach for retromuscular repair of parastomal hernias

Background

Parastomal hernia repair (PHR) remains a challenge with no optimal repair technique. During retromuscular hernia repair, traversing the stomal conduit through the abdominal wall can result in angulation and compression. Widening of traditional cruciate incisions in mesh and/or fascia likely contributes to recurrences. To address these pitfalls, the Stapled Transabdominal Ostomy Reinforcement with Retromuscular Mesh (STORRM) technique utilizing a circular stapler was developed.

Surgical management of massive ventral hernias in children.

The management of 7 children with massive abdominal wall hernias is reviewed, utilizing a technique of stabilizing the defect by insertion of a Teflon mesh prosthesis followed by pneumoperitoneum and staged reduction. Teflon mesh has proven ideally suited for this purpose because of its flexibility, elasticity, and relative nonreactivity, allowing it to be applied directly over the surface of exposed bowel without inducing fistula formation. Although the mesh is securely incorporated into the fascial perimeter of the abdominal wall, a pseudomembrane is formed at the point of contact with the bowel surface which allows subsequent dissection and removal of the prosthesis with relative ease. Having limited the size of the defect by insertion of the mesh, an ideal situation is created for use of pneumoperitoneum to expand the peritoneal cavity and stretch the normal tissues of the abdominal wall, thus facilitating subsequent operative reduction of the ventral hernia. Utilizing this approach, excellent cosmetic and functional results have been achieved in all 7 patients.