Background: Incisional hernia is a common complication of abdominal surgery and it is often a source of long-term morbidity. Surgical treatment include many different techniques and up to today the choice may be difficult. The employment of prosthetic materials has contributed to a remarkable improvement in the results of this surgery. We performed a prospective study to compare the outcomes after laparoscopic and open incisional hernia repair.
Patients and methods: A total of 60 patients were assigned at random to two groups to be operated for median incisional hernia with mesh. Of these, 30 underwent laparoscopic repair and 30 open repair performed by Rives-Stoppa technique. Early and long-term outcomes were analyzed by a median follow-up of 45 months (range 31-78). Statistical analysis was done to asses differences between the groups.
Results: Both groups were homogeneus in terms of patient age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score and incisional hernia features. Laparoscopic repair is associated with a significantly lower incidence of wound infections, shorter operative time and hospitalization and faster return to work. The recurrence rate was similar between the two groups.
Conclusion: In our experience laparoscopic incisional hernia repair appear to be a safe, feasible and effective alternative to Rives-Stoppa technique.