Primary closure of the midline abdominal wall defect during laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: analysis of risk factors for failure and outcomes at 5 years follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of this prospective study is to report bulging and recurrence rates and to analyze the risk factors responsible for failure, after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) with primary closure of defect (PCD) using a running suture and intraperitoneal mesh placement, at 5-year follow-up. The secondary endpoint is to evaluate 30-day postoperative complications, seroma, and pain. METHODS: PCD failure was defined as the presence of postoperative bulging and/or recurrence. Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS). After surgery, fifty-eight patients underwent clinical examination and computed tomography scan to diagnose bulging, recurrence, and seroma (classified according to the Morales-Conde classification). RESULTS: At 60 months follow-up, recurrence was observed in five patients (8.6%), while bulging, not needing a surgical treatment, occurred in fifteen patients (25.9%). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the only risk factor responsible for both outcomes together, bulging and recurrences (p = 0.029), while other considered risk factors as gender, age, body mass index, diabetes, smoke habits, primary or incisional hernia and the ratio defect width/transverse abdominal axis did not achieve the statistically significance. Clinical seroma was diagnosed at one month in eight patients (13.8%). Seromas were observed at one year of follow-up. During the follow-up, pain reduction occurred. CONCLUSION: LVHR has evolved toward more anatomical concepts, with the current trend being the abdominal wall anatomical reconstruction to improve its functionality, reducing seroma rates. Based on results obtained, PCD is a reliable technique with excellent recurrence rate at 5 years follow-up, even when the defect closure may generate tension at the midline. On the other hand, this tension could be related with high bulging rate at long-term, particular in case of patients with COPD.