Incidence Of Incisional Hernia Research Articles

Biologic mesh implantation is associated with serious abdominal wall complications in patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery: A randomized-controlled clinical trial.

Open, emergency abdominal surgery is associated with a high incidence of fascial dehiscence and incisional hernia. Implantation of biologic meshes potentially reinforces the abdominal wall and therefore decreases such complications. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare the outcome after prophylactic intraperitoneal implantation of a biologic Strattice mesh (Allergan, Dublin, Ireland) with standard abdominal closure in patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. A two-arm randomized clinical trial was performed in patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery at Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland, from April 2016 to March 2019. Patients were randomly assigned to prophylactic implantation of a biological intraperitoneal mesh using Strattice, Allergan (mesh group), or standard abdominal closure using a single, continuous running suture (no-mesh group). Because of safety concerns, patient enrollment was closed prematurely. Eligibility for inclusion was assessed in 61 patients. A total of 48 patients were randomized (21 in the mesh group, 28 in the no-mesh group). No differences in baseline characteristics were found. Abdominal wall complications requiring reoperations were more frequent in the mesh group compared to the no-mesh group (5 [83.3%] of 13 vs. 1 [14.3%] of 13 patients, p = 0.026). Mesh-associated abdominal wall complications included nonintegration of the mesh into the abdominal wall, dissolution of the mesh, and mesh-related infections. In patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery, intraperitoneal biologic Strattice mesh implantation is associated with significantly more frequent abdominal wall complications requiring reoperation. Therefore, the use of such meshes cannot be recommended in the contaminated environment of emergency abdominal surgery. Therapeutic, level I.

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing wound COmplications in elective midline laparotomies after FAscia Closure using two different Techniques Of Running sutures: COFACTOR trial

BackgroundWound complications following midline laparotomies are common and the main source of postoperative morbidity including superficial or deep wound infection, skin dehiscence, fascia dehiscence, and incisional hernia. Abdominal closure complications are strongly associated with suture technique and material, in addition to other factors related to the patient and type of surgery performed. The traditional technique is to place the fascia sutures 1 cm apart and at least 1 cm away from the fascia edge. A Swedish study described a new technique of placing the sutures 5 mm apart and 5 mm away from the fascia edge, resulting in lower rates of abdominal wound complications. This study has a number of limitations. There is a need for improved quality evidence to convince the surgical community to change the closure technique of abdominal wounds aiming to reduce morbidity, which is exemplified in incisional hernias and other various postop complications.MethodsThis is a 1:1 randomized, controlled, patient- and assessor-blinded, parallel design, superiority trial, with a primary endpoint of incisional hernia at 1 year. The study will be conducted at AUBMC over a 3-year period. Patients planned for a non-emergent midline laparotomy for general surgery or vascular procedure will be randomized to either fascia closure technique. In order to detect a drop of 12% in the incidence of incisional hernia, with 80% power and an alpha of 0.05, we will need to recruit 114 patients per arm. After adjusting for loss to follow-up, target recruitment is 274 subjects. We will compare both arms for the primary, secondary, and exploratory outcomes, using chi-square or t test as appropriate. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression will be done.DiscussionThis trial will assess postop complications following abdominal midline wound closures via two different suturing techniques. This trial will generate evidence-based conclusions that will allow surgeons to assess the role of a new abdominal closure technique in decreasing short- and long-term postoperative complications, for a commonly performed procedure.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03527433. Registered on 17 May 2018 before starting participant enrollment.

Etiology and risk factors of incisional hernia – A prospective study

Background: Incisional hernia is an iatrogenic defect in the abdominal wall that occurs in the site of previous incision. The study was conducted to analyze the etiology and risk factors of incisional hernia. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in our hospital in the Department of General Surgery from October 2018 to September 2020. All patients who attended the outpatient department with incisional hernia were admitted based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and evaluated. The etiology and risk factors such as age, sex, Precipitating factors, nature of previous surgery were evaluated with proper history and investigations and results were correlated with other studies. Results: The incisional hernia patients commonly presented in the age group of 31 to 50 years of age and among them female has increased propensity. Obesity is considered as a major risk factor for both males and females accounts for 84% of our study and 32% of patients with incisional hernia are smokers who are entirely males. The incidence of incisional hernia has been increased following gynecological procedures (66%) and lower midline scar (32%) following previous surgery. The wound infection being an important risk factor for incisional hernia, in our study, only 12% of cases had a history of wound infection following previous procedure. Other risk factors includes Diabetes mellitus (28%), Anemia (26%), immunosuppression also predispose to incisional hernia were observed and all these factors have strong association with incisional hernia and p-value less than 0.05 which is significant. Patient treated with onlay meshplasty had showed better outcome. No recurrence during follow up period. Conclusion: Incisional hernia must be kept in mind in all abdominal surgeries and care must be taken prior to occurrence of incisional hernia by assessing the risk factors and correcting the modifiable risk factors prior to any surgeries. Meshplasty is the management of choice with less recurrence.

A New Surgical Technique of Combination Retroperitoneal with Transperitoneal Laparoscopic Nephroureterectomy in a Single Position and Comparative Outcomes.

BackgroundThe traditional surgical treatment for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is time-consuming owing to changing the surgical position and larger surgical trauma because of open surgery in handling the distal ureter. Therefore, we created a new surgical technique of combination retroperitoneal with transperitoneal (CRT) laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) in a single position and here report our early outcomes.MethodsFrom January 2017 to December 2019, a total of 106 patients underwent LNU by a single surgeon at our department, of whom 50 patients underwent standard technique and 56 patients underwent CRT technique. Relevant clinical data were collected including each patient’s characteristics, surgical outcomes, and follow-up results. A comparative analysis between standard LNU cases and CRT LNU cases was performed.ResultsLNU was performed successfully on all 106 patients. There was no significant difference in patients’ characteristics. Compared to the standard group, patients in the CRT group had shorter operative time (P=0.001), less estimated blood loss (EBL) (P<0.001), lower visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score (P=0.020) and less scarring (P=0.013). The median time of surgical drain stay decreased from 5 to 2 days (P=0.004) and median hospital stay after surgery decreased from 5 to 3 days (P=0.001). The complication rates did not show statistical differences between the two groups within the first 30 days postoperatively (P=0.263). For the long-term complications, the incidence of abdomen bulge or incisional hernia in the CRT group was less than that in the standard group (P<0.001).ConclusionThe CRT technique, which combines both the advantages of retroperitoneal and transperitoneal approaches, is a more minimally invasive, simplified and effective way to perform the LNU.

Competition Test Veteran Affairs Medical Centre (VAMC) Score and KIMS-14 for Predicting the Dehiscence of Abdoment Post Laparotomy Operating Wounds

Introduction. Abdominal wound dehiscence (AWD) is a complication of severe postoperative abdominal surgery, with reported death rates ranging from 10% to 45%. Significant mortality, prolonged hospitalization, increased incidence of incisional hernias and reoperations for ruptured stomachs, with costs associated with the community, emphasize the severity of these complications. The VAMC score and KIMS-14 can be used as screening in predicting surgical injury dehiscence Method.This study is a diagnostic test study to assess the sensitivity and specificity of VAMC and KIMS-14 scoring in predicting the occurrence of abdominal wound dehiscence to be performed in surgery outpatient and digestive surgery ward at the General Hospital, Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang in the period March to May 2019.Results. There were 44 subjects that participated in this study. VAMC has a sensitivity value of 87.5% and specificity of 97.2 with an area under curve value of 0.958 with a cut-off of  10. KIMS 14 has a sensitivity value of 100% and a specificity of 94.4% with an area under curve value of 0.944 with a cut-off of  5.Conclusion: KIMS-14 is better in sensitivity, but VAMC is more specific to predict dehiscence licensing in patients undergoing intraabdominal surgery.Keywords: VAMC, KIMS-14, abdominal wound dehiscence, post-laparotomy, mortality, burst abdomen.

Natural History of Radiologic Incisional Hernia Following Robotic Nephrectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and natural history of radiologic incisional hernia (IH) in patients who underwent robotic partial or radical nephrectomy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent robotic partial or radical nephrectomy for kidney tumor in our institution between January 2011 and April 2017. All pre- and postoperative imagings were re-reviewed for detection of IH per Tonouchi classification. Patients who developed hernia were followed up and classified into stable or progressive group. Clinical findings and radiologic features of these patients are reported. Results: A total of 247 patients (169 partial and 78 radical nephrectomies) were included in the study. The incidence of radiologic IH was 27.53%, graded as early-onset (35.3%), late-onset (51.5%), and bowel/fat containing (13.2%). Median time to radiologic IH was 1.7 years. During the follow-up of 68 patients who developed hernia, 33 (48.5%) had progressive and 8 (11.7%) developed clinical hernia. Median time to progression was 1.5 years. On multivariable analysis, adjuvant therapy was an independent predictor for radiologic hernia development (HR 3.23). Pathologic T stage ≥2 and history of open abdominal surgery were also significantly associated with hernia progression (HR 3.93 and 3.47, respectively). Conclusions: Radiologic IH after robotic partial or radical nephrectomy is common. Progression rate is as high as 50% with median time to progression of 1.5 years. Adjuvant therapy is an independent predictor for IH development, whereas higher stage and history of open abdominal surgery are associated with IH progression.

Stoma closure and reinforcement (SCAR): A study protocol for a pilot trial

A quality metric for centers performing rectal cancer surgery is a high percentage of sphincter sparing procedures. These procedures often involve temporary bowel diversion to minimize the complications of an anastomotic leak. The most common strategy is a diverting loop ileostomy which is then closed after completion of adjuvant therapy or the patient recovers from surgery. Loop ileostomy is not without complications and the closure is complicated by a one in three chance of incisional hernia development. Strategies to prevent this problem have been designed using a variety of techniques with and without mesh placement. This proposed pilot study will test the safety and efficacy of a novel stoma closure technique involving permanent mesh in the retro rectus position during ileostomy closure. The study will prospectively follow 20 patients undergoing ileostomy closure using this technique and evaluate for safety of the procedure, quality of life, and feasibility for a larger randomized controlled trial. Patients will be followed post procedurally and evaluated for 30-day complications, as well as followed up with routine cancer surveillance computed tomography every 6 months in which the presence of stoma site incisional hernias will be evaluated. The results of this pilot study will inform the design of a multiple center, blinded randomized controlled trial to evaluate the utility of permanent mesh placement to decrease the incidence of prior stoma site incisional hernias.

Subcutaneous fat area as a risk factor for extraction site incisional hernia following gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

To identify the incidence of extraction site incisional hernia following gastrectomy for gastric cancer and its significant risk factors, including the subcutaneous fat area. We reviewed data gathered prospectively on patients with gastric cancer, who underwent gastrectomy between 2008 and 2012 at Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. The subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and visceral fat area (VFA) were measured using axial computed tomography at the level of the L4 and L3 transverse processes, and the L2-L3 intervertebral disc. The primary endpoint of the rate of extraction site incisional hernia was based on the computed tomography and clinical data including hospital follow-up reports. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 320 patients were included in this retrospective analysis: 3.1% (10/320) had extraction site incisional hernias after a mean follow-up of 11months. Multivariate analysis revealed that age and the SFA were independent risk factors (age ≥ 70.5years: P = .013, odds ratio: 9.116, 95% confidence interval 1.581-52.553; L4 SFA ≥ 124 cm2: P = .004, odds ratio: 13.752, 95% confidence interval 2.290-82.582). Age and the SFA were independent risk factors for extraction site incisional hernia in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Umbilical Defunctioning Ileostomy for Rectal Cancer Results in Reduced Risk for Incisional Hernia.

Umbilical defunctioning ileostomy (UDI) spares one incision, which may reduce the overall incidence of incisional hernia. Our aim was to evaluate the occurrence and risk factors of incisional hernias between UDI and conventional defunctioning ileostomy (CDI) after ileostomy closure. Incidence of incisional hernia after ileostomy closure was compared between UDI (n=51) and CDI (n=86) groups. Risk factors for incisional hernia were also considered through a retrospective analysis. The overall incidence of incisional hernia was 5.9% in the UDI group, which was significantly lower than the 22.1% (7.0% at the midline incision and 15.1% at the stoma site) in the CDI group (p=0.012). Multivariate analysis showed higher BMI (p=0.035) and CDI (p=0.031) as risk factors for developing incisional hernias overall. UDI results in fewer incisional hernias than CDI and seems to be superior to CDI from the standpoint of overall incidence of incisional hernias.

Incisional hernias following gallstone surgery. A population-based study

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) in a population-based cohort following gallstone surgery and to identify associated risk factors. MethodsAll cholecystectomies registered in the Swedish register for cholecystectomy and ERCP from 2006 to 2014 were identified. Data regarding post-procedural development of IH was obtained from the National Patient Register. ResultsA total of 81 964 cholecystectomies were identified. A laparoscopic, open, and minilaparotomy technique was used in 70 031, 10 379 and 1554 procedures, respectively. The five-year cumulative incidence of IH was 1.04 per cent in the laparoscopic group, 3.37 per cent in the open group, and 2.11 per cent in the minilaparotomy group. Obesity (hazard ratio (HR) 4.11, 95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 3.37 to 5.01), open surgical technique (HR 2.97, CI 2.57 to 3.42), liver cirrhosis (HR 2.95, CI 1.58 to 5.51), chronic kidney disease (HR 1.95, CI 1.19 to 3.21), minilaparotomy (HR 1.79, CI 1.23 to 2.60), age > median (HR 1.43, CI 1.25 to 1.65), and chronic pulmonary disease (HR 1.28, CI 1.05 to 1.57) were found to significantly predict the development of IH. ConclusionLaparoscopic cholecystectomy comes with a lower risk of IH compared to open techniques.

Hernia incidence following a randomized clinical trial of single-incision versus multi-port laparoscopic colectomy.

The short-term results of single-incision laparoscopic colectomy (SILC) showed the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness when performed by skilled laparoscopic surgeons. However, the long-term complications, such as SILC-associated incisional hernia, have not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of incisional hernia after SILC compared with multi-port laparoscopic colectomy (MPC) for colon cancer. From March 2012, to March 2015, a total of 200 patients were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomized to the MPC arm and SILC arm. A total of 200 patients (MPC arm; 100 patients, SILC arm; 100 patients) were therefore analyzed. In all cases the specimen was extracted through the umbilical port, which was extended according to the size of the specimen. A diagnosis of incisional hernia was made either based on a physical examination or computed tomography. The baseline factors were well balanced between the arms. The median follow-up period was 42.4 (range 9.4-70.0) months. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with incisional hernia, giving an incidence rate of 12.1% in the MPC arm and 9.0% in the SILC arm at 36months (P = 0.451). In the multivariate analysis, the body mass index (≥ 25kg/m2) (hazard ratio [HR] 3.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-8.92; P = 0.044), umbilical incision (≥ 5.0cm) (HR 3.22; 95% CI 1.16-8.93; P = 0.025), and history of umbilical hernia (HR 3.16; 95% CI 1.02-9.77; P = 0.045) were shown to be correlated with incisional hernia. We found no significant difference in the incidence of incisional hernia after SILC arm versus MPC arm with a long-term follow-up. However, this result may be biased because all specimens were harvested through the umbilical port. The study was registered with the Japanese Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000007220.

Enhanced PeriOperative Care and Health protection programme for the prevention of surgical site infections after elective abdominal surgery (EPOCH): study protocol of a randomised controlled, multicentre, superiority trial

IntroductionSurgical site infections (SSI) are a common postoperative complication. During the development of the new WHO guidelines on SSI prevention, also in the Netherlands was concluded that perioperative care could...

An educated guess — Distance estimation by surgeons

IntroductionEstimating distance is a common task in surgery, yet development of distance estimation ability receives little attention in surgical training. Although the Small bites versus large bites for closure of abdominal midline incisions (STITCH) trial reinforced the importance of suture spacing by demonstrating reduced incisional hernia incidence in placement of 5-mm fascial sutures over 1 cm, we hypothesize that neither trainee nor attending surgeons possess the ability to estimate these distances with accuracy. MethodsWe distributed a 4-question distance estimation exercise and a 6-question survey to resident and attending surgeons at a single academic medical center. The mean and the absolute error were compared using a t test. ResultsMost participants were trainees (44 vs 16 attendings, N = 60), and 27% used the metric system prior to undergraduate studies. The mean absolute errors for 5-mm and 1-cm mark placement were 1.40 and 2.07 mm, respectively. The 5-mm mark placement estimates ranged from 2.01 to 11.69 mm, and the 1-cm estimates ranged from 4.82 to 19.19 mm. There was no statistically significant difference in the estimates or absolute errors between trainees and attendings (5 mm P = .202; 1 cm P = .302). ConclusionThese findings suggest that estimation of distance is a challenge, and development of this fundamental skill during surgical training may have important clinical consequences.

Incisional hernia incidence following laparotomy for combat trauma: Investigating 15 years of US war surgery.

While the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) following elective laparotomy has been well described, incidence following emergent laparotomy for combat trauma has been much less studied. This retrospective cohort investigates the latter to better describe the burden IH represents for the injured warfighter. Data were obtained from the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database for service members who survived a combat-related injury between January 2002 and December 2016 and underwent abdominal surgery in the first 30 days after injury. Incisional hernia diagnosis at least 30 days after injury was determined from inpatient and outpatient records in the Military Health System's Medical Data Repository.Means and SDs were reported for age and continuous Injury Severity Score, and frequency and percentages were reported for sex, branch of service, paygrade, mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score, and maximum abdominal Abbreviated Injury Scale. Service members with and without a hernia diagnosis were compared using t test for continuous variables and χ or Fisher exact test (depending on cell size) for categorical variables.Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine relationships between IH diagnosis and the covariates previously mentioned. Data analysis was completed using SAS software version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Of the 570 laparotomy patients, 109 (19.1%) developed IH. Of these, 58 (53%) were diagnosed within the first year after injury. An additional 21 (19%) were diagnosed within the following year, and 30 (28%) were diagnosed more than 2 years after injury. Presence of gastrointestinal injury, Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 4 and 5, and 5-year increments of age were positively associated with hernia formation. The incidence of postlaparotomy IH in combat trauma is 19.1%, a considerable source of disability for injured warfighters. Further investigation into hernia-preventive closure strategies is warranted. Therapeutic study, level IV.

Abdominal midline wound closure with small bites versus large bites: a randomized comparative trial

Background: The optimal strategy of abdominal wall closure after midline laparotomy has remained an issue of ongoing debate to minimize incidence of incisional hernia which occurs in 10 to 23% cases postoperatively. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of small bites versus large bites suture technique in reduction of incidence of the complications like pain, wound infection, wound dehiscence, seroma formation and incisional hernia by using polydioxanone no.1.Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 patients undergoing elective surgery who were randomly allocated into group A and B. Group A were the patients in which midline abdominal wound closure was done with small bites and group B were the patients in which midline abdominal wound closure was done with large bites. Then the patients were followed up for 6 months to observe any complications.Results: A mean additional closure time of 9 minutes was seen with the small bites technique. The mean suture length was more in small bites group as compared to large bites technique. There was no difference in the visual analog scale score between the two groups. No significant difference was seen in the incidence of major and minor wound infection postoperatively in both the groups. Small bites technique reduced the incidence of suture sinus and incisional hernia compared to conventional large bites technique.Conclusions: It can be concluded that the small bites suture technique is more effective than the traditional large bites technique for prevention of all post-operative complications.

Incisional hernia after liver transplantation: Risk factors, management strategies and long-term outcomes of a cohort study.

Incisional hernias (IH) develop in up to 40% of liver transplant (LT) recipients and can contribute to considerable morbidity. A single center retrospective review of a prospectively maintained LT database was conducted to identify all patients diagnosed with IH after LT during a 13-year study period (2003-2015). Analyzed data included patient demographics, LT details, incidence and timing of IH, risk factors, management strategies and long-term outcomes. During the 13-year study period, IH was diagnosed in 16.7% (163/976) of LT recipients after a median of 19.6 months (range 6.7-49.5 months) from transplant surgery. Identified risk factors for developing IH included male gender (p<0.001) while acute cellular rejection (ACR) was found to be negatively associated with the risk of developing IH (p=0.014). Acute incarceration/strangulation was seen in 4 patients with IH while the remaining (n=159) presented with non-emergent symptoms. Surgical repair was undertaken in 70/163 (43%) IH patients after medical optimization when possible (open repair 83%, mesh use 90%). IH recurrence rate was 14.3% (10/70) with comparable rates in no-mesh and with-mesh repairs (42.9% vs. 11.3%; p=0.057) and open (15.8%) and laparoscopic (9.1%) approaches (p=0.68). IH is a late complication following LT and male gender is a consistent predictive marker. Acute presentation is infrequent and elective repair can be planned in most patients allowing for risk factor optimization to ensure promising long-term outcomes.

Risk of hernia formation after radical prostatectomy: a comparison between open and robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy within the prospectively controlled LAPPRO trial

PurposeIn addition to incisional hernia, inguinal hernia is a recognized complication to radical retropubic prostatectomy. To compare the risk of developing inguinal and incisional hernias after open radical prostatectomy compared to robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.MethodPatients planned for prostatectomy were enrolled in the prospective, controlled LAPPRO trial between September 2008 and November 2011 at 14 hospitals in Sweden. Information regarding patient characteristics, operative techniques and occurrence of postoperative inguinal and incisional hernia were retrieved using six clinical record forms and four validated questionnaires.Results3447 patients operated with radical prostatectomy were analyzed. Within 24 months, 262 patients developed an inguinal hernia, 189 (7.3%) after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy and 73 (8.4%) after open radical prostatectomy. The relative risk of having an inguinal hernia after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy was 18% lower compared to open radical retropubic prostatectomy, a non-significant difference. Risk factors for developing an inguinal hernia after prostatectomy were increased age, low BMI and previous hernia repair. The incidence of incisional hernia was low regardless of surgical technique. Limitations are the non-randomised setting.ConclusionsWe found no difference in incidence of inguinal hernia after open retropubic and robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The low incidence of incisional hernia after both procedures did not allow for statistical analysis. Risk factors for developing an inguinal hernia after prostatectomy were increased age and BMI.

Vertical supraumbilical incision versus left lower oblique incision for specimen retrieval during laparoscopic rectal surgery

Objective: To compared the short-term surgical outcomes of the vertical supraumbilical incision with the left lower oblique incision for specimen retrieval in laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. Inclusion criteria: (1) rectal cancer confirmed by colonoscopy and pathological examination; (2) undergoing the operation for the first time; (3) laparoscopic rectal surgery performed by the same surgeon team; (4) age of > 18 years and < 76 years old. According to above criteria, clinical data of 178 consecutive patients scheduled for laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer at Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of Renji Hospital between March 2015 and December 2017 were collected. Based on incision site of the mini-laparotomy, patients were classified to the vertical supraumbilical incision group (n=75) and the left lower oblique incision group (n=103). There were no significant differences in baseline data, such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), tumor diameter, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, score of American Society of Anesthesiologists, TNM stage, between the two groups (all P>0.05). Perioperative variables and follow-up data were compared between two groups. Results: Between the vertical supraumbilical incision group and the left lower oblique incision group, the operation time [(131.7±3.7) minutes vs. (138.5±3.5) minutes], operative bleeding volume [(138.9±11.5) ml vs. (154.3±10.3) ml], length of auxiliary incision [(4.0±0.1) cm vs. (4.0±0.1) cm], and distance from anastomosis to dentate line [(3.8±0.1) cm vs. (4.2±0.1) cm] were not significantly different (all P>0.05). As compared to the left lower oblique incision group, patients in vertical supraumbilical incision group had earlier flatus [(62.7±2.3) hours vs. (69.2±1.7) hours, t=2.282, P=0.023], earlier ambulation [(41.9±1.8) hours vs. (46.78±1.42) hours, t=2.131, P=0.032], lower pain VAS scores at postoperative 24 hours (2.0±0.1 vs. 2.4±0.1, t=2.172, P=0.032) and 48 hours (2.7±0.1 vs. 3.0±0.1, P<0.05), and lower incidence of postoperative incisional hernia [6.7% (5/75) vs. 9.7% (10/103), χ(2)=3.942, P=0.042]. However, the postoperative fluids intake time, hospitalization days, pain VAS scores at postoperative 12 hours and postoperative complications (wound infection, anastomotic leakage, urinary retention, intestinal obstruction) were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The vertical supraumbilical incision in laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer can reduce the degree of postoperative pain, facilitate early recovery of intestinal function and decrease the incidence of incisional hernia.

Incidence of incisional hernia after laparoscopic liver resection.

Minimally invasive techniques have been broadly introduced to liver surgery during the last couple of years. In this study, we aimed to report the incidence and potential risk factors for incisional hernia (IH) as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after laparoscopic liver resections (LLR). All patients undergoing LLR between January 2014 and June 2017 were contacted for an outpatient hernia examination. In all eligible patients, photo documentation of the scar was performed and IH was evaluated by clinical examination and by ultrasound. Patients also completed a questionnaire to evaluate IH-specific symptoms and HRQoL. Obtained results were retrospectively analyzed with regard to patients' characteristics, perioperative outcomes and applied minimally invasive techniques, such as multi-incision laparoscopic liver surgery or hand-assisted/single-incision laparoscopic surgery (HALS/SILS). Of 184 patients undergoing surgery, 161 (87.5%) met the inclusion criteria and 49 patients (26.6%) participated in this study. After a median time of 26months (range 19-50months) after surgery, we observed an overall incidence of IH of 12%. Five of 6 patients were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25) and 5 of 6 hernias were located at the umbilical site. Univariate analysis suggested the performance status at time of operation (ASA score ≥ 3; HR 5.616, 95% CI 1.012-31.157, p = 0.048) and the approach (HALS/SILS, HR 6.571, 95% CI 1.097-39.379, p = 0.039) as potential risk factors for IH. A higher frequency of hernia-related physical restrictions (HRR; p = 0.058) and a decreased physical functioning (p = 0.17) were noted in patients with IH; however, both being short of statistical significance. Advantages of laparoscopic surgery with regard to low rates of IH can be translated to minimally invasive liver surgery. Even though there are low rates of IH, patients with poor performance status at the time of operation should be monitored closely. While patients' characteristics are hard to influence, it might be worth focusing on surgical factors such as the approach and the closure of the umbilical site to further minimize the rate of IH.

Prevention of incisional hernia after midline laparotomy with prophylactic mesh reinforcement: a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

BackgroundIncisional hernia is a frequent complication after abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of prophylactic mesh reinforcement (PMR) after midline laparotomy in reducing the incidence of incisional hernia.MethodsA meta‐analysis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcome was the incidence of incisional hernia after follow‐up of at least 12 months. Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications. Only RCTs were included. A random‐effects model was used for the meta‐analysis, and trial sequential analysis was conducted.ResultsTwelve RCTs were included, comprising 1815 patients. The incidence of incisional hernia was significantly lower after PMR compared with sutured closure (risk ratio (RR) 0·35, 95 per cent c.i. 0·21 to 0·57; P < 0·001). Both onlay (RR 0·26, 0·11 to 0·67; P = 0·005) and retromuscular (RR 0·28, 0·10 to 0·82; P = 0·02) PMR led to a significant reduction in the rate of incisional hernia. The occurrence of seroma was higher in patients who had onlay PMR (RR 2·23, 1·10 to 4·52; P = 0·03). PMR did not result in an increased rate of surgical‐site infection.ConclusionPMR of a midline laparotomy using an onlay or retromuscular technique leads to a significant reduction in the rate of incisional hernia in high‐risk patients. Individual risk factors should be taken into account to select patients who will benefit most.[Correction added on 19 February 2020, after first online publication: J. García Alamino has been amended to J. M. Garcia‐Alamino]