Technique and early results of outpatient laparoscopic mesh onlay repair of ventral herniasrid=""id=""Presented to the Canadian Association of General Surgeons at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, September 1998

Abstract

This report describes the technique and early results of a simple outpatient laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. Data were gathered prospectively for all laparoscopic ventral hernia repairs from January 1996 to December 1997 at a 228-bed hospital. Prolene mesh was stapled to the peritoneal surface of the abdominal wall, leaving sac in situ and mesh uncovered. Patients were seen by the operating surgeon within 2 months, and by an impartial surgeon (J.S.) after 3 to 14 months (average, 7 months; median, 6 months). Repairs involved 44 hernias with orifice sizes 2 to 20 cm in diameter, and an average area of 20 cm(2). Of these 44 hernias, 36 were postoperative and 8 primary. Furthermore, 20% were recurrent hernias. There were four conversions. The outpatient rate was 98%, with one readmission for ileus. The early recurrence rate was 5%. Laparoscopic mesh onlay repair is a safe, easy, and effective procedure with minimal discomfort and a low early recurrence rate that can be performed safely on an outpatient basis.