Open posterior component separation with transversus abdominis release (TAR) for large incisional abdominal wall hernias: Results from a single center

Abstract

Transversus abdominis release (TAR) is the newest approach that allows effective myofascial mobilization, creating a large retromuscular space and wide mesh overlap to repair complex and large incisional ventral hernias. This article narrates the technical details and results of the TAR technique performed in a single center. The present study is a retrospective analysis of a prospective dataset from 25 patients who underwent posterior component separation (PCS) with TAR procedure for large incisional ventral hernias between October 2017 and July 2021. The minimum follow-up period was ten months. Twenty-five patients (five male, 20 female) with a mean age of 61.2 years, a mean BMI of 32.2 kg/m2, and a median ASA score of 2.0 underwent the TAR procedure. Fifteen (60%) patients had a history of incisional hernia surgery. The mean surgical time was 248 minutes. The mean total defect and mesh areas were 187.4 (90-500) cm2 and 1141.8 (750-2250) cm2, respectively. The mean visual analog scale (VAS) pain score on the first postoperative day was 4.5 and the median hospital length of stay (LOS) was 5 days. There were three (12%) surgical site infections (SSIs), two of which were deep infections that needed debridement. During the follow-up period (median of 26 months), two (8%) recurrences were recorded. The TAR technique represents an effective and safe repair modality of large and complex incisional hernias. TAR is an essential addition to the repertoire of the surgical community.