Combination of autoplasty with autodermoplasty in the treatment of lateral abdominal hernias

Abstract

Aim. To improve the outcomes of treatment in patients with lateral abdominal hernias by combining autoplastic methods with autodermoplasty. Methods. 42 case histories of patients with lateral abdominal wall hernias, operated in the first surgical department of the State Institution «Republican Clinical Hospital», Tiraspol city, from 2001 to 2011 were subjected to retrospective analysis. In all of the cases surgical treatment was performed. Combined methods of hernioplasty, which combine autoplasty with autodermoplasty, were applied. The authors’ personal patented method of hernioplasty was also used among others. Results. According to the classification of Chevrel-Rath (2000) 23 (54.7%) of the patients had inferolateral hernias, 5 (11.9%) patients - supra-lateral hernias, 8 (19%) patients - lumbar hernias, there were also 2 (4.8%) patients each with transrectal, pararectal and paracolostomy hernias. Despite their small number in the total amount of postoperative hernias (17.5%), 26 (65%) patients had large and giant lateral hernias, while recurrences were present in 7 (16.7%) cases. Treatment results were satisfactory. Complications and recurrence occurred in 1 (2.9%) patient each. Conclusion. The combination of autoplasty with autodermoplasty is an effective method of treatment for inferolateral, supra-lateral, pararectal, transrectal, paracolostomy and lateral hernias; during lumbar hernias autodermoplasty even with two autodermal grafts was not as effective, and therefore justified is the search for new methods of hernioplasty.