Abstract Background In colorectal surgery, postoperative evisceration and incisional hernia (IH) were not only noted after open procedures, but also at extraction incision (EI) sites used in laparoscopic resections. Few techniques, including using different sutures, closure techniques, and surgical meshes, have been evaluated in the literature to prevent the occurrence of IH and postoperative wound failure. This systematic review investigates the efficacy and safety of using prophylactic mesh on closure of midline laparotomy or extraction incision (EI) in colorectal oncological and non-oncological resections. Method Literature databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct and Google Scholar, were searched for studies comparing the use of prophylactic mesh to conventional suture closure in colorectal operations, either in laparotomy closure in open surgery or EI closure in laparoscopic procedures, regardless of the indication; oncological and non-oncological. Primary endpoints were identified as incisional hernia (IH), and postoperative evisceration. Other outcomes included surgical site infection (SSI), seroma formation and length of hospital stay (LOS). Results Six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and studied 1,398 patients. Occurrence of IH was significantly reduced on using mesh closure compared to suture closure (OR 0.23, P=0.00001), while there was no statistically significant difference in evisceration rate (OR 0.51, P=0.25). Additionally, no notable difference was identified between both groups in terms of SSI (OR 1.20, P=0.54), postoperative seroma (OR 1.80, P=0.13), and LOS (MD -0.54, P=0.63). Conclusion The use of prophylactic mesh on closing laparotomy incision or EI for open and laparoscopic colorectal resections reduces the risk of developing IH. There were no significant safety concerns; however, further randomised trials may provide more creditable results.
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