Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair

Abstract

entral abdominal hernias carry a significant risk of incarceration and trangulation. Open, tension-free repair of ventral hernias has been the tandard of treatment for many years; however, laparoscopic ventral ernia repair (LVHR) has emerged within the last decade as an excellent lternative to open repair. The increasing prevalence of LVHR undercores the need for a sound understanding of its indications, technique, nd unique potential complications. “Ventral hernia” is a broadly inclusive term, incorporating incisional, mbilical, epigastric, and suprapubic hernias. Although laparoscopic ernia repair can be effectively applied to any type of ventral hernia, its dvantages are best realized for incisional hernias and other abdominal ernias with defects larger than 4 cm. An estimated 3% to 20% of laparotomy incisions ultimately develop ncisional hernia, resulting in approximately 90,000 incisional hernia epairs annually in the United States. The wide range in reported ncidence of post-laparotomy hernia most likely relates to study method, ith most prospective series reporting higher rates than retrospective eries.