Comparative Study on the Use of Polypropylene Mesh in the Surgical Treatment of Patients with Strangulated or Uncomplicated Incisional Hernias

Abstract

Incisional hernias affects approximately 10-20% of patients with history of abdominal surgery. The purpose of this study was to examine the tissue integration of the polypropylene mesh in patients operated for strangulated incisional hernias to those operated for uncomplicated incisional hernias. For this purpose, we introduced 218 patients with surgical treatment of the incisional hernia with polypropylene mesh. The total number of patients studied was divided into 2 lots: group A consisting of 189 patients with uncomplicated incisional hernia and group B of 29 patients with strangulated incisional hernia. We studied separately the local postoperative complications in the two groups (hematomas, seromas, abdominal wall infections). Although the number of local postoperative complications was higher for group B, the differences were statistically significant only for the incidence of abdominal wall infections. Although the use of the polypropylene mesh in the surgical treatment of strangulated incisional hernias predisposes to a higher risk of local postoperative complications compared to its use in the surgical treatment of the uncomplicated incisional hernias, its use in the surgical treatment of the strangulated incisional hernias is beneficial.