[Ambulatory surgery of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernias: open preperitoneal flat mesh technique in local anaesthesia].

INTRODUCTION: The dilemma whether to use the mesh or non mesh technique in the management of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernia is slowly fading away. The open preperitoneal "flat mesh" technique performed as ambulatory surgery may be one of the solutions. THE AIM: The aim of this retrospective study is to present the results of open preperitoneal "flat mesh" technique in the management of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernia within MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 34 patients (11 of them with umbilical, 13 with epigastric and 8 of them with small incisional hernia) operated by one surgeon in the period January 2004-January 2006. RESULTS: The median operative time was 52 minutes for umbilical hernia's, 43 minutes for epgastric and 54 minutes for incisional hernia's. The ambulatory surgery was performed at 91% of patients. The median hospitalization was 4h for patients with umbilical hernia's, 3,7h for patients with epigastric and, 7,7h for patients with small incisional hernia. The follow up is 10,5 months. Apart of one superficial infection other complications were absent. CONCLUSION: The open preperitoneal "flat mesh" technique performed in local anesthesia as an ambulatory surgery provides good results in the management of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernia.

[Splenic artery aneurysms].

Although the third most frequent aneurysm in the abdomen, after aneurysms of the aorta and iliac arteries, and most frequent aneurisms of visceral arteries, splenic artery aneurysms are rare, but not very rare. Thanks to the new imaging techniques, first of all ultrasonography, they have been discovered with increasing frequency. We present a series of 9 splenic artery aneurysms. Seven patients were female and two male of average age 49 years (ranging from 28 to 75 years). The majority of afected women were multiparae, with average 3 children (ranging from 1 to 6). One patient had a subacute rupture, and 2 had ruptures into the splenic vein causing portal hypertension. The spleen was enlarged in 7 out of 9 patients. The average size of aneurysms was 3,2 cm (ranging from 2 to 8 cm). The preoperative diagnosis of splenic artery aneurysm was established in 6 patients while in 3 patients aneurism was accidentally found during other operations, during splenectomy in 2, and during the excision of a retroperitoneal tumour in 1 patient. Aneurysmectomy was carried out in 7 patients, while a ligation of the incoming and outcoming wessels was performed in 2 patients with arteriovenous fistula. Splenectomy was performed in 6 patients, while pancreatic tail resection, cholecystectomy and excision of the retroperitoneal tumor were performed in 3 patients. Additional resection of the abdominal aortic aneurysm with reconstruction of aortoiliac segment was performed in 2 patients. There were no mortality and the postoperative recovery was uneventful in all patients.