Transversus Abdominis Release Versus Anterior Component Separation in Ventral Abdominal Hernia - A Prospective Comparative Study

Abstract

Ventral abdominal hernia (VAH) repair is considered a surgical challenge especially hernias with large defect size and loss of domain (1-3). The incidence of recurrence after VAH repair ranges from 18.1% in primary VAH to 30.6% in secondary VAH (incisional hernia) (4). The principle of any hernia repair is to achieve a tension free repair with re-enforcement by mesh to decrease the incidence of recurrence (5). Many techniques had been studied and evaluated to address the problem of complex VAH with large defects and loss domain (1,6). In 1973, Rives et al. described their technique of retro rectus space dissection for incisional hernia (IH) repair allowing medial mobilization of myofascial flap and sub-lay mesh insertion (7, 8). But this technique has limitation in cases of large VAH as it doesn’t allow major myofascial advancement due to lateral limitation of linea semilunaris (LS) (9). In 1990, Ramirez et al. at described their technique of open anterior component separation (ACS) (10). In this technique, the external oblique aponeurosis is separated from internal oblique lateral to LS to achieve more medial mobilization of myofascial flap (9). ACS was successfully utilized in cases of large VAH, but the technique had its drawbacks. ACS was found to be associated with high rates of wound complications (seroma, wound infection, and flap necrosis) due to excess subcutaneous dissection with the possibility of lateral abdominal wall hernia at area of external oblique incision. The recurrence rate after ACS ranges from 9-18% (4). In 2012, Novitsky et al. were the first to describe the technique of posterior component separation and transversus abdominis release (PCS-TAR). The technique involved retro rectus space dissection reaching the LS, then an incision is made at posterior rectus sheath to access the space between internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles. Dissection is carried on in this space until reaching psoas muscle laterally. This technique has the advantage of allowing maximum medial myofascial mobilization without major subcutaneous dissection. In addition, the technique allows for sub-lay mesh placement (11). All these different component separation techniques aim to reestablish a functional abdominal wall through autologous tissue repair by separating between myofascial layers of anterior abdominal wall (AAW). This allows medial mobilization of myofascial flap to obliterate large size defects (12-14). Due to the relative novelty of these techniques, a knowledge gap still persists regarding which CS technique is suitable to different types of VAH. The aim of our study is to compare the outcomes of TAR with ACS as regard short term postoperative complication and recurrence rate.