Laparoscopic versus hybrid approach for treatment of incisional ventral hernia: a prospective randomized multicenter study of 1-month follow-up results.

PURPOSE: The seroma rate following laparoscopic incisional ventral hernia repair (LIVHR) is up to 78%. LIVHR is connected to a relatively rare but dangerous complication, enterotomy, especially in cases with complex adhesiolysis. Closure of the fascial defect and extirpation of the hernia sack may reduce the risk of seromas and other hernia-site events. Our aim was to evaluate whether hybrid operation has a lower rate of the early complications compared to the standard LIVHR. METHODS: This is a multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial. From November 2012 to May 2015, 193 patients undergoing LIVHR for primary incisional hernia with fascial defect size from 2 to 7 cm were recruited in 11 Finnish hospitals. Patients were randomized to either a laparoscopic (LG) or to a hybrid (HG) repair group. The outcome measures were the incidence of clinically and radiologically detected seromas and their extent 1 month after surgery, peri/postoperative complications, and pain. RESULTS: Bulging was observed by clinical evaluation in 46 (49%) LG patients and in 27 (31%) HG patients (p = 0.022). Ultrasound examination detected more seromas (67 vs. 45%, p = 0.004) and larger seromas (471 vs. 112 cm3, p = 0.025) after LG than after HG. In LG, there were 5 (5.3%) enterotomies compared to 1 (1.1%) in HG (p = 0.108). Adhesiolysis was more complex in LG than in HG (26.6 vs. 13.3%, p = 0.028). Patients in HG had higher pain scores on the first postoperative day (VAS 5.2 vs. 4.3, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Closure of the fascial defect and extirpation of the hernia sack reduce seroma formation. In hybrid operations, the risk of enterotomy seems to be lower than in laparoscopic repair, which should be considered in cases with complex adhesions. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT02542085.

Surgery-related complications of ventral hernia reported to the Finnish Patient Insurance Centre.

AIM: Our aim was to evaluate the incidence and type of severe complications in adult primary and incisional ventral hernia surgery reported to the National Patient Insurance Centre in Finland during 2003-2010. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Finnish National Patient Insurance Centre covers the whole country and handles financial compensation for patients' injuries without proof of malpractice. All the claims concerning ventral hernioplasties in the Centre between the years 2003 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The annual numbers of primary and incisional ventral hernioplasties in Finland were obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Register. RESULTS: During the study years, 25,738 ventral hernia operations were performed and 127 claims from the whole country were reported to the Patient Insurance Centre. Overall rate of claims was 4.9/1000 hernia procedures. For primary hernias, 16,243 ventral hernioplasties (817 laparoscopic, 15,426 open) were performed and 41 complications were reported. The most common complication was infection (n = 28, 68%) followed by pain and hernia recurrence (n = 6, 15% in both), large hematoma (7%), bowel lesion (5%), urological injuries (2%), or severe bleeding (2%). In incisional hernioplasties, the rate of claims was 9.1/1000 operations (9495 operations, 86 claims). The most common complication reported was infection (n = 42, 49%) followed by hernia recurrence in 25 cases (29%) and bowel lesion in 24 cases (28%). Major complications (n = 15, 17%) consisted mainly of bowel lesions in laparoscopic operations. There was significantly more claims after laparoscopic than open hernioplasties (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The claims for financial compensation for injuries related to primary and incisional hernioplasties are quite uncommon. Major complications, though comparatively rare, are significantly more common after laparoscopic operations.