Body morphometry may predict parastomal hernia following radical cystectomy with ileal conduit.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether preoperative body morphometry analysis can identify patients at risk of parastomal hernia (PH), which is a common complication after radical cystectomy (RC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who underwent RC between 2010 and 2020 with available cross-sectional imaging preoperatively and at 1 and 2 years postoperatively were included. Skeletal muscle mass and total fat mass (FM) were determined from preoperative axial computed tomography images obtained at the level of the L3 vertebral body using Aquarius Intuition software. Sarcopenia and obesity were assigned based on consensus definitions of skeletal muscle index (SMI) and FM index (FMI). PH were graded using both the Moreno-Matias and European Hernia Society criteria. Binary logistic regression and recursive partitioning were used to identify patients at risk of PH. The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank and Cox proportional hazards models included clinical and image-based parameters to identify predictors of PH-free survival. RESULTS: A total of 367 patients were included in the final analysis, with 159 (43%) developing a PH. When utilising binary logistic regression, high FMI (odds ratio [OR] 1.63, P < 0.001) and low SMI (OR 0.96, P = 0.039) were primary drivers of risk of PH. A simplified model that only relied upon FMI, SMI, and preoperative albumin improved the classification of patients at risk of PH. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients who were obese or obese and sarcopenic had significantly worse PH-free survival (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Body morphometry analysis identified FMI and SMI to be the most consistent predictors of PH after RC.

Short-term outcomes of heavyweight versus mediumweight synthetic mesh in a retrospective cohort of clean-contaminated and contaminated retromuscular ventral hernia repairs.

BACKGROUND: Mediumweight (40-60 g/m2) polypropylene (MWPP) mesh has been shown to be safe and effective in CDC class II-III retromuscular ventral hernia repairs (RMVHR). However, MWPP has the potential to fracture, and it is possible that heavyweight (> 75 g/m2) polypropylene mesh has similar outcomes in this context. However, there is limited data on HWPP mesh performance in clean-contaminated and contaminated scenarios. We aimed to compare HWPP to MWPP mesh in CDC class II-III wounds during open RMVHR. METHODS: The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database was retrospectively queried for a cohort of patients who underwent open RMVHR with MWPP or HWPP mesh placed in CDC class II/III wounds from 2012 to 2023. Mesh types were compared using a 3:1 propensity score-matched analysis. Covariates for matching included CDC classification, BMI, diabetes, smoking within 1 year, hernia, and mesh width. Primary outcome of interest included wound complications. Secondary outcomes included reoperations and readmissions at 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 1496 patients received MWPP or HWPP (1378 vs. 118, respectively) in contaminated RMVHR. After propensity score matching, 351 patients remained in the mediumweight and 117 in the heavyweight mesh group. There were no significant differences in surgical site infection (SSI) rates (13.4% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.877), including deep SSIs (0.3% vs. 0%, p = 1), surgical site occurrence rates (17.9% vs. 22.2%, p = 0.377), surgical site occurrence requiring procedural intervention (16% vs. 17.9%, p = 0.719), mesh removal (0.3% vs. 0%, p = 1), reoperations (4.6% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.428), or readmissions (12.3% vs. 9.4%, p = 0.504) at 30 days. CONCLUSION: HWPP mesh was not associated with increased wound morbidity, mesh excisions, reoperations, or readmissions in the early postoperative period compared with MWPP mesh in open RMVHR for CDC II/III cases. Longer follow-up will be necessary to determine if HWPP mesh may be a suitable alternative to MWPP mesh in contaminated scenarios.

Long-term mesh-related complications from minimally invasive intraperitoneal onlay mesh for small to medium-sized ventral hernias.

INTRODUCTION: Intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) placement for small to medium-sized hernias has garnered negative attention due to perceived long-term risk of mesh-related complications. However, sparse data exists supporting such claims after minimally invasive (MIS) IPOM repairs and most is hindered by the lack of long-term follow-up. We sought to report long-term outcomes and mesh-related complications of MIS IPOM ventral hernia repairs. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Adult patients who underwent MIS IPOM ventral hernia repair at our institution were identified in the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database from October 2013 to October 2020. Outcomes included hernia recurrence and mesh-related complications or reoperations up to 6 years postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 325 patients were identified. The majority (97.2%) of cases were elective, non-recurrent (74.5%), and CDC class I (99.4%). Mean hernia width was 4.16 ± 3.86 cm. Median follow-up was 3.6 (IQR 2.8-5) years. Surgeon-entered or patient-reported follow-up was available for 253 (77.8%) patients at 3 years or greater postoperatively. One patient experienced an early small bowel obstruction and was reoperated on within 30 days. Two-hundred forty-five radiographic examinations were available up to 6 years postoperatively. Twenty-seven patients had hernia recurrence on radiographic examination up to 6 years postoperatively. During long-term follow-up, two mesh-related complications required reoperations: mesh removed for chronic pain and mesh removal at the time of colon surgery for perforated cancer. Sixteen additional patients required reoperation within 6 years for the following reasons: hernia recurrence (n = 5), unrelated intraabdominal pathology (n = 9), obstructed port site hernia (n = 1), and adhesive bowel obstruction unrelated to the prosthesis (n = 1). The rate of reoperation due to intraperitoneal mesh complications was 0.62% (2/325) with up to 6 year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Intraperitoneal mesh for repair of small to medium-sized hernias has an extremely low rate of long-term mesh-related complications. It remains a safe and durable option for hernia surgeons.

The association of permanent versus absorbable fixation on developing chronic post-herniorrhaphy groin pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

INTRODUCTION: Fixation of mesh during minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair is thought to contribute to chronic post-herniorrhaphy groin pain (CGP). In contrast to permanent tacks, absorbable tacks are hypothesized to minimize the likelihood of CGP. This study aimed to compare the rates of CGP after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair between absorbable versus permanent fixation at maximum follow-up. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial in patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (NCT03835351). All patients were contacted at maximum follow-up after surgery to administer EuraHS quality of life (QoL) surveys. The pain and restriction of activity subdomains of the survey were utilized. The primary outcome was rate of CGP, as defined by a EuraHS QoL pain domain score ≥ 4 measured at ≥ 1 year postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were pain and restriction of activity domain scores and hernia recurrence at maximum follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 338 patients were contacted at a mean follow-up of 28 ± 11 months. 181 patients received permanent tacks and 157 patients received absorbable tacks during their repair. At maximum follow-up, the rates of CGP (27 [15%] vs 28 [18%], P = 0.47), average pain scores (1.78 ± 4.38 vs 2.32 ± 5.40, P = 0.22), restriction of activity scores (1.39 ± 4.32 vs 2.48 ± 7.45, P = 0.18), and the number of patients who reported an inguinal bulge (18 [9.9%] vs 15 [9.5%], P = 0.9) were similar between patients with permanent versus absorbable tacks. On multivariable analysis, there was no significant difference in the odds of CGP between the two groups (OR 1.23, 95% CI [0.60, 2.50]). CONCLUSION: Mesh fixation with permanent tacks does not appear to increase the risk of CGP after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair when compared to fixation with absorbable tacks. Prospective trials are needed to further evaluate this relationship.

Surgical approaches for core abdominal injuries: a review of the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database.

INTRODUCTION: Core abdominal injury (CAI) is a broad term that describes injuries resulting from repetitive loading of the pubis that leads to inflammation, rupture, or destabilization of the core muscles from the pubic bone. There is no clear recommendation on the surgical approach to CAI. We aimed to describe how hernia surgeons within the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) address this problem surgically and the short-term outcomes. METHODS: We queried the ACHQC registry for patients undergoing surgery for isolated CAI and concomitant inguinal hernias (IH) and CAI. Operative approach and quality of life (using EuraHS survey scores) was abstracted. RESULTS: A total of 29,451 patients underwent surgery for IHs, CAIs, or both within the registry. Twenty patients underwent surgery for isolated CAI (median age 29, 90% males). Eleven patients (55%) underwent surgery with mesh (four Lichtenstein, three TAPP, and four TEP). Nine patients (45%) underwent tissue-based repairs (four closure of floor, one Bassini, one McVay, one Shouldice, one femoral exploration, and one laparoscopic-to-open conversion). There were no postoperative complications or reoperations within 30 days. EuraHS scores showed improvement at 30 days from baseline (median 29 [6.75-41.75] from 42 [29.42-57.61]). Sixty patients had both IHs and CAIs (median age 31, 97% males). All patients received mesh. Thirty-one patients (52%) underwent open surgery (23 Lichtenstein, 1 plug, 7 TREPP) and 29 underwent minimally invasive repairs (23 TAPP, 6 TEP). There was one seroma at 30 days. EuraHS scores showed improvement at 30 days from baseline (median 16 [5.17-27.33] from 37.5 [26.44-46.58]). CONCLUSIONS: Despite technical variability, CAIs with or without concomitant IH generally undergo operations commonly used for IH repairs. Within our series, there was inconsistency with approach and mesh placement. Future work should be focused on standardizing the approach to CAI and capturing long-term data within the ACHQC.

Injuries incurred from minimally invasive access for abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Injuries during initial port placement in minimally invasive abdominal surgery are rare but can cause major morbidity. We aimed to characterize the incidence, consequence, and risk factors for injury occurring on initial port placement. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of a General Surgery quality collaborative database with supplementary input from the Morbidity and Mortality conference database at our institution between 6/25/2018 and 6/30/2022. Patient characteristics, operative details, and postoperative course were assessed. Cases with an injury on entry were compared to cases without an injury to identify risk factors for injury. RESULTS: 8844 minimally invasive cases were present between the two databases. Thirty-four injuries (0.38%) occurred during initial port placement. Seventy-one percent of injuries were bowel injuries (full or partial thickness) and the majority (79%) of injuries were recognized during the index operation. Median surgeon experience for the cases with an injury was 9 years (IQR 4.25-14.5) compared to 12 years of experience for all surgeons contributing to the database (p = 0.004). Previous laparotomy was also significantly correlated with the rate of injury on entry (p = 0.012). There was no significant difference in the rate of injury based on method of entry (cut-down: 19 (55.9%), optical entry without Veress: 10 (29.4%), Veress followed by optical entry: 5 (14.7%), p = 0.11). BMI > 30 kg/m2 (injury: 16/34 vs no injury: 2538/8844, p = 0.847) was not associated with an injury. Fifty-six percent (19/34) of patients with an injury on initial port placement required laparotomy at some point in their hospital course. CONCLUSIONS: Injuries are rare during initial port placement for minimally invasive abdominal surgery. In our database, history of a previous laparotomy was a significant risk factor for an injury and appears to be more consequential than commonly implicated factors such as technique, patient body habitus, or surgeon experience.

Single-staged retromuscular abdominal wall reconstruction with mesh at the time of ostomy reversal: are we crossing the line? An ACHQC Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The most appropriate method of reconstructing the abdominal wall at the site of a simultaneous stoma takedown is controversial. The contaminated field, concomitant GI procedure being performed and presence of a hernia all complicate decision-making. We sought to describe the surgical approaches, mesh type and outcomes of concomitant abdominal wall reconstruction during stoma takedown in a large hernia registry. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: All patients who underwent stoma takedown with simultaneous hernia repair with retromuscular mesh placement from January 2014 to May 2022 were identified within the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC). Patients were stratified by mesh type including permanent synthetic (PS), resorbable synthetic (RS) and biologic mesh. Association of mesh type with 30-day wound events and other complications and 1-year outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 368 patients who met inclusion criteria. Eighty-nine patients had ileostomies, 276 colostomies and 3 had both. Two hundred and seventy-nine (75.8%) patients received PS mesh, 46 (12.5%) biologic, and 43 (11.7%) RS. Seventy percent (259/368) had a parastomal hernia, 75% (285/368) had a midline incisional hernia, and 48% (178/368) had both. All groups had similar preoperative comorbidities and the majority had a transversus abdominus release. All mesh groups had similar thirty-day SSI (13.2-14.3%), SSO (10.5-17.8%) and SSOPI (7.9-14.1%), p = 0.6. Three patients with PS mesh developed infected synthetic mesh and one PS mesh required excision. Four patients with PS developed an enterocutaneous fistula. Of these, only one patient was recorded as having both an enterocutaneous fistula and mesh infection. Thirty-day reoperation and readmission were similar across all mesh groups. Recurrence at 1-year was similar between mesh groups. Quality of life measured using HerQLes scores were higher at one year compared to baseline in all groups indicating improvement in hernia-specific quality of life. CONCLUSION: Early complication rates associated with simultaneous stoma takedown and abdominal wall reconstruction are significant, regardless of mesh type utilized. Concomitant surgery should be weighed heavily and tailored to individual patients.

Mediumweight polypropylene mesh fractures after open retromuscular ventral hernia repair: incidence and associated risk factors.

PURPOSE: Mediumweight (MW) and heavyweight (HW) polypropylene have demonstrated similar clinical and patient-reported outcomes in the setting of open retromuscular ventral hernia repair (VHR). While MW mesh has an anecdotal risk of central mesh fracture, that phenomenon is not well-characterized. We sought to assess the incidence of and risk factors for MW polypropylene mesh fractures after VHR. METHODS: The ACHQC registry was queried for patients with CT-documented hernia recurrence after open retromuscular VHR with MW polypropylene mesh at our institution with 1-year follow-up between January 2014 and April 2022. Images were reviewed by five blinded surgeons at Cleveland Clinic to reach consensus that hernia recurrence mechanism was central mesh fracture. Patients without clinical recurrence or patient-reported bulge were used as a comparator group. RESULTS: Eighty patients were identified with radiographically documented recurrence; 28 had recurrence from mesh fractures and these were compared to 644 patients without recurrence. Incidence of MW fracture was 4.2%. Bridging of anterior fascia was more common in the group with the central mesh fracture (33.3% vs 3.3%, p < 0.001); the incidence of fracture was 30% (9/30) in patients requiring a bridged closure. Mesh fracture was associated with larger hernias (median width: 20 cm [16-26] vs 15 cm [12-18], p < 0.001,), length (25 cm [23-30] vs 23 cm [19-26], p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: MW polypropylene mechanical failures are surprisingly common, particularly in settings of bridged fascial closure and larger hernias. Use of HW polypropylene should be considered in this setting, and industry should be encouraged to create larger pieces of HW polypropylene mesh.

Laparoscopic versus robotic inguinal hernia repair: 1- and 2-year outcomes from the RIVAL trial.

INTRODUCTION: Robotic inguinal hernia repair is growing in popularity among general surgeons despite little high-quality evidence supporting short- or long-term advantages over traditional laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. The original RIVAL trial showed increased operative time, cost, and surgeon frustration for the robotic approach without advantages over laparoscopy. Here we report the 1- and 2-year outcomes of the trial. METHODS: This is a multi-center, patient-blinded, randomized clinical study conducted at six sites from 2016 to 2019, comparing laparoscopic versus robotic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair with follow-up at 1 and 2 years. Outcomes include pain (visual analog scale), neuropathic pain (Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs pain scale), wound morbidity, composite hernia recurrence (patient-reported and clinical exam), health-related quality of life (36-item short-form health survey), and physical activity (physical activity assessment tool). RESULTS: Early trial participation included 102 patients; 83 (81%) completed 1-year follow-up (45 laparoscopic vs. 38 robotic) and 77 (75%) completed 2-year follow-up (43 laparoscopic vs. 34 robotic). At 1 and 2 years, pain was similar for both groups. No patients in either treatment arm experienced neuropathic pain. Health-related quality of life and physical activity were similar for both groups at 1 and 2 years. No long-term wound morbidity was seen for either repair type. At 2 years, there was no difference in hernia recurrence (1 laparoscopic vs. 1 robotic; P = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic and robotic inguinal hernia repairs have similar long-term outcomes when performed by surgeons with experience in minimally invasive inguinal hernia repairs.

Robotic eTEP versus IPOM evaluation: the REVEAL multicenter randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: For small to medium-sized ventral hernias, robotic intraperitoneal onlay mesh (rIPOM) and enhanced-view totally extraperitoneal (eTEP) repair have emerged as acceptable approaches that each takes advantage of robotic instrumentation. We hypothesized that avoiding mesh fixation in a robotic eTEP repair offers an advantage in early postoperative pain compared to rIPOM. METHODS: This is a multi-center, randomized clinical trial for patients with midline ventral hernias ≤ 7 cm, who were randomized to rIPOM or robotic eTEP. The primary outcome was pain (0-10) on the first postoperative day. Secondary outcomes included same-day discharge, length of stay, opioid consumption, quality of life, surgeon workload, and cost. RESULTS: Between November 2019 and November 2021, 100 patients were randomized (49 rIPOM, 51 eTEP) among 5 surgeons. Pain on the first postoperative day [median (IQR): 5 (4-6) vs. 5 (3.5-7), p = 0.66] was similar for rIPOM and eTEP, respectively, a difference maintained following adjustments for surgeon, operative time, baseline pain, and patient co-morbidities (difference 0.28, 95% CI - 0.63 to 1.19, p = 0.56). No differences in pain on the day of surgery, 7, and 30 days after surgery were identified. Same-day discharge, length of stay, opioid consumption, and 30-day quality of life were also comparable, though rIPOM required less surgeon workload (p < 0.001), shorter operative time [107 (86-139) vs. 165 (129-212) min, p < 0.001], and resulted in fewer surgical site occurrences (0 vs. 8, p = 0.004). The total direct costs for rIPOM and eTEP were comparable [$8282 (6979-11835) vs. $8680 (7550-10282), p = 0.52] as the cost savings for eTEP attributable to mesh use [$442 (434-485) vs. $69 (62-76), p = < 0.0001] were offset by increased expenses for operative time [$669 (579-861) vs. $1075 (787-1367), p < 0.0001] and use of more robotic equipment [$760 (615-933) vs. $946 (798-1203), p = 0.001]. CONCLUSION: The avoidance of fixation in a robotic eTEP repair did not reveal a benefit in postoperative pain to offset the shorter operative time and surgeon workload offered by rIPOM.

Epidural analgesia and post-operative ileus after incisional hernia repair with transversus abdominis release: Results of a 5-year quality improvement initiative.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal pain management strategy after open ventral hernia repair (VHR) with transversus abdominus release (TAR) is unknown. Opioids are known to have an inhibitory effect on the GI tract and cause postoperative ileus. Epidural analgesia is associated with lower postoperative ileus rates but may contribute to other postoperative complications. A propensity-matched retrospective review published by our group in 2018 found that epidural analgesia was associated with an increased length of stay and any postoperative complication after VHR. Epidural analgesia was therefore abandoned by our group following this publication. We aimed to determine if discontinuation of epidural analgesia affected ileus rates after open VHR. METHODS: Patients who underwent open VHR with TAR from August 2014 to January 2022 â€‹at Cleveland Clinic Foundation with at least 30-day follow-up were retrospectively identified using the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative registry. Patients with and without epidural analgesia were compared. The primary outcome was post-operative ileus. Additional outcomes included length of stay, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pneumonia, wound complications and pain requiring intervention. RESULTS: A total of 2570 patients were included: 420 had an epidural, 2150 did not. Preoperative patient and hernia characteristics were similar between both groups. Mean hernia width was 15.5 â€‹cm in the epidural group and 16.1 â€‹cm in the no epidural group. In the epidural group, ileus was seen in 9 of 420 (2.15%) of patients which was significantly less than in the no epidural group, 400 of 2150 (18.6%), p=>0.001. On multivariate analysis, epidurals were predictive of lower risk of ileus (OR 0.04, 95%CI 0.01-0.17, p â€‹= â€‹0.001) and pain requiring intervention (OR 0.02, 95%CI 0.00-0.71, p â€‹= â€‹0.02). Epidural analgesia was not associated with increased DVT rates, pneumonia, length of stay, SSI, or SSOPI. DISCUSSION: Discontinuation of epidural analgesia was associated with a 9-fold increase in ileus rates after VHR with TAR. Epidurals may play an important role in limiting postoperative opioid use and therefore reducing risk of ileus. Other postoperative complications including pneumonia and venous thrombosis were not impacted by epidurals. Further prospective studies are needed to further define a ventral hernia patient population who will benefit from epidural analgesia.

Cost, Operative Delay, and X-Rays for Incorrect Surgical Counts.

At Cleveland clinic, an incorrect surgical count triggers Code Rust; a protocol that mandates an intraoperative patient X-ray, staff radiology read, and discussion with the surgeon before the incision is closed. Code Rust calls from November 2014 to December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Realtime workflow and operative details of Code Rust cases were analyzed.1277 Code Rusts were identified. Average time from ordering the X-ray to final radiology report was 50 minutes, totalling $2,362,450.00 spent on operating room time. Code Rust was called twice as frequently during urgent or emergent cases, compared to elective. There were more staff in Code Rust rooms compared to non-Code Rust rooms. A foreign body on X-ray was identified in 42/1277 (3.3%) cases. Code Rust is a resource intensive process that is more common in emergent cases that involve multiple staff. While retained foreign bodies are identified in a small percentage of cases, the current system should be revisited to reduce operating time and expense.

Mesh versus suture repair of incisional hernias 2 cm or less: Is mesh necessary? A propensity score-matched analysis of the abdominal core health quality collaborative.

BACKGROUND: Mesh has been the acceptable standard for incisional hernia repair regardless of hernia size. It is not clear whether there is a size of incisional hernias in whom repair would be best performed without mesh. This study aims to compare outcomes of mesh versus suture repairs for incisional hernias <2 cm in size. METHODS: Incisional hernia repairs from 2012 to 2021 for hernias ≤2 cm in width were queried from the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative. Those with 1-year follow up were considered. Hernia recurrence was defined using composite hernia recurrence, which combines both clinical and patient reported outcomes. Propensity score matching was performed between mesh and non-mesh using body mass index, smoking, diabetes, and drains as covariates. RESULTS: A total of 352 patients met inclusion criteria. After propensity score matching, there were 132 repairs with mesh and 71 without. There was no difference in recurrence rates at 1 year between mesh and non-mesh repairs (15% vs 24%, P = .12). Mesh was associated with a higher rate of 30-day postoperative complications (11% vs 1%, P = .017). There were no differences in 1-year quality of life scores. CONCLUSION: The repair of incisional hernias ≤2 cm without mesh results in similar recurrence rates, similar quality of life scores, and lower postoperative early complications compared with repairs with mesh. Our findings suggest that there may be select patients with small incisional hernias that could reasonably undergo incisional hernia repair without mesh. Longer-term follow-up is needed to confirm ideal candidates and durability of these repairs.

Tipping the scale in abdominal wall reconstruction: An analysis of short- and long-term outcomes by body mass index.

BACKGROUND: Morbid obesity, with a body mass index 35 kg/m2, is a commonly used cutoff for denying elective transversus abdominis release. Although obesity is linked to short-term wound morbidity, its effect on long-term outcomes remains unknown, calling into question if a cutoff is justified. We sought to compare 1-year recurrence rates after transversus abdominis release based on body mass index and to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes. METHODS: Patients undergoing open, clean transversus abdominis release from August 2014 to January 2022 at our institution with 1-year follow-up completed were identified. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the association of body mass index with 90-day wound events, 1-year hernia recurrence, and hernia-specific quality of life. Covariates included body mass index, diabetes, recurrent hernia, hernia width, fascial closure, surgical site occurrence requiring procedural intervention, previous abdominal wall surgical site infection, inflammatory bowel disease, mesh weight, and mesh-to-hernia size ratio. RESULTS: A total of 1,089 patients were included. Increasing body mass index was associated with surgical site infection (adjusted odds ratio = 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-1.77; P < .01) and surgical site occurrence (adjusted odds ratio = 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.74; P < .01) but was not associated with surgical site occurrence requiring procedural intervention. Hernia width was associated with surgical site occurrence (adjusted odds ratio = 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.82; P < .01) and surgical site occurrence requiring procedural intervention (adjusted odds ratio = 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.82; P = .01). Hernia recurrence rate at 1 year was lower for the body mass index ≥35 kg/m2 group (7% vs 12%; P = .02). Hernia width (odds ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.74; P = .04) was associated with recurrence; body mass index was not (P = .11). Both groups experienced significant improvement in hernia-specific quality of life at 1 year. CONCLUSION: Morbid obesity is associated with 90-day wound morbidity; however, short-term complications did not translate to higher reoperation or long-term recurrence rates. The impact of body mass index on hernia recurrence is likely overstated. An arbitrary body mass index cutoff of 35 kg/m2 should not be used to deny symptomatic patients abdominal wall reconstruction.

Revisiting femoral hernia diagnosis rates by patient sex in inguinal hernia repairs.

INTRODUCTION: Guidelines recommend MIS repairs for females with inguinal hernias, despite limited evidence. We investigated rates of femoral hernias intraoperatively noted during MIS and Lichtenstein repairs in females. METHODS: ACHQC was queried for adult females undergoing inguinal hernia repair between January 2014-November 2022. Outcomes included identified femoral hernia and size, hernia recurrence, quality of life, and sex-based recurrence. RESULTS: 1357 and 316 females underwent MIS and Lichtenstein inguinal repair respectively. Femoral hernias were identified more frequently in MIS than open repairs (27%vs12%; (p â€‹< â€‹0.001). Most femoral hernias in MIS (61%) and Lichtenstein repairs (62%) were <1.5 â€‹cm(p â€‹< â€‹0.001). Identification rates of femoral hernias >3 â€‹cm were 1% overall(p â€‹= â€‹0.09). Surgeon and patient-reported recurrences were similar between approaches at 1-5-years for females(p â€‹> â€‹0.05 for all) and similar between sexes(p â€‹> â€‹0.05). CONCLUSION: Most incidental femoral hernias are small and both repair approaches demonstrated similar outcomes. The recommendation for MIS inguinal hernia repairs in females is potentially overstated.

Evaluating the impact of lifting mandatory smoking cessation prior to elective abdominal wall reconstruction. A single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Many studies identify active smoking as a significant risk factor for postoperative wound and mesh complications in patients undergoing abdominal wall reconstruction surgery. However, our group conducted an analysis using data from the ACHQC database, which revealed similar rates of surgical site infection (SSI) and surgical site occurrence requiring procedural intervention (SSOPI) between active smokers and non-smokers As a result, the Cl eveland Clinic Center for Abdominal Core Health instituted a policy change where active smokers were no longer subject to surgical delay. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of active smoking on the outcomes of these patients. METHODS: We identified active smoking patients who had undergone open, elective, clean ventral hernia repair (VHR) with transversus abdominis release (TAR) and permanent synthetic mesh at Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Propensity matching was performed to create a 1:3 ratio of "current-smokers" and "never-smokers" and compared wound complications and all 30-day morbidity between the two groups. RESULTS: 106 current-smokers and 304 never-smokers were matched. Demographics were similar between the two groups after matching, with the exception of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (22.1% vs. 13.4%, p â€‹< â€‹.001) and body mass index (BMI) (31.1 vs. 32.6, p â€‹= â€‹.02). Rates of SSI (12.2% vs. 6.9%, p â€‹= â€‹.13), SSO (21.7% vs. 13.2%, p â€‹= â€‹.052), SSOPI (11.3% vs. 6.3%, p â€‹= â€‹.13), and reoperation (1.9% vs. 3.9%, p â€‹= â€‹.53) were not significantly different between active smokers and never-smokers correspondingly. One case (0.3%) of partial mesh excision was observed in the never-smokers group (p â€‹= â€‹1). The current-smokers group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of pneumonia compared to the never-smokers group (5.7% vs. 0.7%, p â€‹= â€‹.005). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that operating on active smokers did result in a slight increase in wound morbidity, although it did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, pulmonary complications were higher in the smoking group. Notably, we did not see any mesh infections in the smoking group during early follow up. We believe that this data is important for shared decision making on patients that are actively smoking contemplating elective hernia repair.

Impact of the ventral hernia working group's publication: a bibliometric analysis.

PURPOSE: The Ventral Hernia Working Group (VHWG) proposed a ventral hernia grading guideline, primarily supported by expert opinion, recommending biologic mesh placement in high-risk patients. We investigated the relationship between this industry-sponsored guideline and discourse around ventral hernia repair (VHR). METHODS: Medline platform from Web of Science's database identified publications "pre-VHWG"(1999-01-01 to 2009-12-31), and "post-VHWG"(2010-01-01 to 2020-12-31) describing VHR and complications or recurrence of VHR with the following comorbidities: COPD, smoking, diabetes, immunosuppression, or obesity. Poisson regression analyzed keyword frequency over time using logarithmically transformed data. RESULTS: Of 1291 VHR publications identified pre-VHWG and 3041 publications identified post-VHWG, 172 (13.3%) and 642 (21.1%) publications respectively included prespecified keywords. The keyword groups "biologic"(IRR 3.39,95%CI1.34-11.4,p = 0.022) and "comorbid"(IRR 1.95, 95%CI1.09-3.74,p = 0.033) significantly increased with frequency after publication of the VHWG. CONCLUSION: The VHWG publication likely contributed to a focus on comorbidities and biologic mesh in the ensuing literature within the field of VHR.

Does selective intraoperative music reduce pain following abdominal wall reconstruction? A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Although intraoperative music is purported to mitigate postoperative pain after some procedures, its application has never been explored in abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). We sought to determine whether intraoperative music would decrease early postoperative pain following AWR. METHODS: We conducted a placebo-controlled, patient-, surgeon-, and assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial at a single center between June 2022 and July 2023 including 321 adult patients undergoing open AWR with retromuscular mesh. Patients received noise-canceling headphones and were randomized 1:1 to patient-selected music or silence after induction, stratified by preoperative chronic opioid use. All patients received multimodal pain control. The primary outcome was pain (NRS-11) at 24 ± 3 h. The primary outcome was analyzed by linear regression with pre-specified covariates (chronic opioid use, hernia width, operative time, myofascial release, anxiety disorder diagnosis, and preoperative STAI-6 score). RESULTS: 178 patients were randomized to music, 164 of which were analyzed. 177 were randomized to silence, 157 of which were analyzed. At 24 ± 3 h postoperatively, there was no difference in the primary outcome of NRS-11 scores (5.18 ± 2.62 vs 5.27 ± 2.46, p = 0.75). After adjusting for prespecified covariates, the difference of NRS-11 scores at 24 ± 3 h between the music and silence groups remained insignificant (p = 0.83). There was no difference in NRS-11 or STAI-6 scores at 48 ± 3 and 72 ± 3 h, intraoperative sedation, or postoperative narcotic usage. CONCLUSION: For patients undergoing AWR, there was no benefit of intraoperative music over routine multimodal pain control for early postoperative pain reduction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05374096.

Postoperative bleeding after complex abdominal wall reconstruction: A post hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal wall reconstruction requires extensive dissection of the abdominal wall, exposure of the retroperitoneum, and aggressive chemoprophylaxis to reduce the risk of thromboembolic complications. The need for early anticoagulation puts patients at risk for bleeding. We aimed to quantify postoperative blood loss, incidence of transfusion and reoperation, and associated risk factors in patients undergoing complex abdominal wall reconstruction. METHODS: All patients underwent a posterior component separation with transversus abdominis release and placement of retromuscular mesh for ventral hernias <20 cm wide and were enrolled in a clinical trial assessing the utility of trans-fascial mesh fixation. A post hoc analysis was performed to quantify postoperative hemoglobin drop, blood transfusions, and procedural interventions for ongoing bleeding during the first 30 postoperative days. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of transfusion. RESULTS: In 325 patients, hemoglobin decreased by 3.61 (±1.58) g/dL postoperatively. Transfusion incidence was 9.5% (n = 31), and 3.1% (n = 10) required a surgical intervention for bleeding. Initiation of therapeutic anticoagulation postoperatively resulted in a higher likelihood of requiring surgical intervention for bleeding (odds ratio 10.4 [95% confidence interval 2.75-43.8], P < .01). Use of perioperative therapeutic anticoagulation was associated with higher rates of transfusion (odds ratio 3.51 [95% confidence interval 1.34-8.53], P < .01). Neither intraoperative blood loss nor operative times were associated with an increased transfusion requirement or need for operative intervention. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing transversus abdominis release are at a high risk of postoperative bleeding that can require transfusion and reoperation. Patients requiring postoperative therapeutic anticoagulation are at particularly high risk.

Open Retromuscular Sugarbaker vs Keyhole Mesh Placement for Parastomal Hernia Repair: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Durable parastomal hernia repair remains elusive. There is limited evidence comparing the durability of the open retromuscular Sugarbaker and keyhole mesh configurations. Objective: To determine if the open retromuscular Sugarbaker mesh placement technique would lower parastomal hernia recurrence rates. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this single-center, randomized clinical trial, 150 patients with a permanent stoma and associated parastomal hernia who were candidates for open retromuscular parastomal hernia repair were enrolled and randomized from April 2019 to April 2022 and followed up for 2 years. Interventions: Following intraoperative assessment to determine the feasibility of either technique, enrolled patients were randomized to receive either retromuscular Sugarbaker or keyhole synthetic mesh placement. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was parastomal hernia recurrence at 2 years. Secondary outcomes included mesh-related complications, wound complications, reoperations, as well as patient-reported pain, abdominal wall-specific quality of life, stoma-specific quality of life, and decision regret at 1 year and 2 years. Results: A total of 150 patients were randomized, and with 91% follow-up at 2 years, there were 13 (17%) parastomal hernia recurrences in the retromuscular Sugarbaker arm and 18 (24%) in the keyhole arm (adjusted risk difference, -0.029; 95% CI, -0.17 to 0.153, and adjusted risk ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.42 to 1.69). There were no statistically significant differences between the Sugarbaker and keyhole groups regarding reoperations for recurrence (2 vs 7, respectively), nonhernia intra-abdominal pathology (4 vs 10, respectively), stoma necrosis (1 vs 0, respectively), mesh-related complications (4 vs 1, respectively), patient-reported pain, abdominal wall-specific quality of life, stoma-specific quality of life, and decision regret at any time point. Conclusions and Relevance: In the setting of open parastomal hernia repair, a retromuscular Sugarbaker mesh placement technique was not superior to a keyhole configuration 2 years after repair. Further innovation is necessary to improve parastomal hernia repair outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03972553.