Classification of incisional hernias of the abdominal wall

Summary Incisional hernias of the abdominal wall assume many clinical forms in terms of their site and size, the quality of the tissues of the abdominal wall and the number of previous recurrences, among many other factors. Any serious prospective and possibly comparative scientific study dealing with the results of treatment must begin by defining the type of incisional hernia studied. Hence, it seemed necessary to employ a classification allowing a study or comparison of homogeneous groups. The aim of this work was to propose a simple classification of predictive value, based on a statistical study of the relations between four parameters, i.e. the site of the incisional hernia, the width of the hernial orifice, the number of previous recurrences, and the results of treatment. A retrospective study dealing with a series of 435 abdominal incisional hernias was done to this end.This work was presented at the XXI EHS International Congress, Madrid, Spain, 3–6 November 1999