eTEP Rives-Stoppa impact on abdominal contour: a retrospective observational and clinical quality improvement study using Ellipse 9 tool.

BACKGROUND: The eTEP Rives-Stoppa (RS) procedure, increasingly used for ventral hernia repair, has raised concerns about postoperative upper abdominal bulging. This study aims to objectively evaluate changes in the abdominal contour after eTEP RS and explore potential causes using a novel analytical tool, the Ellipse 9. METHODS: Thirty patients undergoing eTEP RS without posterior rectus sheath closure were assessed before and 3 months after surgery using CT scan images. Key measurements analyzed included the distance between linea semilunaris (X2), eccentricity over the Cord (c/a Cord), superior eccentricity (c/a Sup), Y2, and the superior perimeter of the abdomen. The Ellipse 9 tool, which provides graphical images and numerical representations, was utilized alongside patient-reported outcomes to assess perceived abdominal changes. RESULTS: The study group exhibited a trend toward a flatter abdomen with reduced distance between linea semilunaris(X2). However, 17% of patients developed upper abdominal bulging (5). Significant differences in c/a Cord, c/a Sup, Y2, and the superior perimeter of the abdomen, confirmed with Bonferroni corrections, were noted between bulging (5 patients) and non-bulging groups (25 patients). There was a notable disparity between patient perceptions and objective outcomes. CONCLUSION: The eTEP RS procedure improved abdominal contour in most patients from a selected cohort. The Ellipse 9 tool was valuable for the objective analysis of these changes. The cause of bulging post-eTEP RS is probably multifactorial. Notably, there was often a discrepancy between patient perceptions of bulging and objective clinical findings.

Impact of disclosure of radiographic test results on quality of life among patients with hernias: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Hernias noted on radiographic imaging are common. We aimed to determine if informing patients of the presence of a clinically apparent or occult hernia on imaging would change their abdominal wall quality of life (AW-QOL). METHODS: This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04355819) in April 2020. Patients with a ventral hernia on elective CT abdomen/pelvis were enrolled. Patients underwent standardized abdominal examination by surgeons, and completed the modified Activities Assessment Scale, a validated, hernia-specific AW-QOL survey. On this scale, 1 is poor AW-QOL, 100 is perfect, and the minimally clinically important difference is five for a minor change. Patients were randomized to complete the one-year follow-up survey before or after being informed of the presence of a hernia on their imaging results. Primary outcome was follow-up AW-QOL adjusted for baseline AW-QOL. RESULTS: Of 169 patients randomized, 126 (75%) completed follow up at one-year. Among patients with occult hernias, those who completed the follow-up survey after being informed of having a hernia had a lower follow-up AW-QOL (mean difference - 7.6, 95% CI = - 20.8 to 5.7, p = 0.261) compared to those who completed the survey before being informed. Conversely, for patients with clinical hernias, those who completed the survey after being informed had higher adjusted follow-up AW-QOL (mean difference 10.3, 95% CI = - 3.0 to 23.6, p = 0.126) than those that completed it after. CONCLUSION: Conveying findings of hernias found on CT imaging can influence patients' AW-QOL. Future research should focus on identifying and addressing patients' concerns after disclosure of CT results.

Preoperative CT imaging as a tool to predict incisional hernia outcomes following abdominal wall reconstruction: A retrospective cohort analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Ventral wall hernia often causes significant morbidity and requires complex abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). This study aims to determine whether subcutaneous abdominal fat thickness (AFT) measured with preoperative CT scans could predict postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing AWR. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients who underwent AWR at our institution between 2009 and 2021, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Using preoperative CT scans, AFT was measured at the xiphoid process, umbilicus, and pubic tubercle, as well as the hernia dimensions. Demographic, operative, and surgical outcome data were also collected and analyzed using statistical tests. RESULTS: The results showed that 9 of 101 patients (8.9%) experienced hernia recurrence. Smoking was associated with an increased risk of hernia recurrence (p < 0.001) with a predictive odds ratio (OR) of 18.27 (p = 0.041). Increased AFT at the xiphoid (p = 0.005), umbilicus (p < 0.001), and pubic tubercle (p < 0.001) were also associated with hernia recurrence and risk of infection. Only AFT at the pubic tubercle reached significance in the regression model predicting recurrence (OR=1.10; p = 0.030) and infection (OR=1.04; p = 0.021). A cut-off value of 67 mm was associated with a positive predictive value of 42.14% (sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 91%). Hernia defect area was not associated with risk of recurrence or infection. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking and increased AFT at the pubic tubercle are significant predictive factors for recurrence and infection in patients undergoing AWR, and preoperative optimization should focus on reducing these factors.

Diagnosis and treatment of a rare case of an incarcerated bilateral Spigelian hernia with the vermiform appendix and caecum.

Spigelian hernia is a rare form of abdominal wall defect. Bilateral Spigelian hernias are even less common. Surgical repair of Spigelian hernias is recommended due to their high risk of incarceration and strangulation of abdominal contents. A variety of surgical approaches to repair these hernias have been described in the literature including the traditional open approach, laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal approach, laparoscopic intraperitoneal repair and laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair. Here, we present the case of an elderly female patient with rare bilateral Spigelian hernias, the right side containing incarcerated appendix and caecal pole. The left hernia was unrecognised on preoperative CT imaging. To our knowledge, very few cases have been reported in the literature. The patient underwent bilateral laparoscopic intraperitoneal mesh repair. All technical aspects of the treatment are discussed here, in the context of the current literature, including the surgical technique and the limitations of the CT diagnosis. We aim to summarise the background of these uncommon hernias, the limitations of preoperative investigations and the differences between the available operative approaches.

CT-measured hernia parameters can predict component separation: a cross-sectional study from China.

PURPOSE: Currently, there are no reliable preoperative methods for predicting component separation (CS) during incisional hernia repair. By quantitatively measuring preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging, we aimed to assess the value of hernia defect size, abdominal wall muscle quality, and hernia volume in predicting CS. METHODS: The data of 102 patients who underwent open Rives-Stoppa retro-muscular mesh repair for midline incisional hernia between January 2019 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: ''CS group'' patients who required CS to attempt fascial closure, and ''non-CS'' group patients who required only Rives-Stoppa retro-muscular release to achieve fascial closure. Hernia defect width, hernia defect angle, rectus width, abdominal wall muscle area and CT attenuation, hernia volume (HV), and abdominal cavity volume (ACV) were measured on CT images. The rectus width to defect width ratio (RDR), HV/ACV, and HV/peritoneal volume (PV; i.e., HV + ACV) were calculated. Differences between the indices of the two groups were compared. Logistic regression models were applied to analyze the relationships between the above CT parameters and CS. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to evaluate the potential utility of CT parameters in predicting CS. RESULTS: Of the102 patients, 69 were in the non-CS group and 33 were in the CS group. Compared with the non-CS group, hernia defect width (P < 0.001), hernia defect angle (P < 0.001), and hernia volume (P < 0.001) were larger in the CS group, while RDR (P < 0.001) was smaller. The abdominal wall muscle area in the CS group was slightly greater than that in the non-CS group (P = 0.046), and there was no significant difference in the CT attenuation of the abdominal wall muscle between the two groups (P = 0.089). Multivariate logistic regression identified hernia defect width (OR 1.815, 95% CI 1.428-2.308, P < 0.001), RDR (OR 0.018, 95% CI 0.003-0.106, P < 0.001), hernia defect angle (OR 1.077, 95% CI 1.042-1.114, P < 0.001), hernia volume (OR 1.002, 95% CI 1.001-1.003, P < 0.001), and CT attenuation of abdominal wall muscle (OR 0.962, 95% CI 0.927-0.998, P = 0.037) as independent predictors of CS. Hernia defect width was the best predictor for CS, with a cut-off point of 9.2 cm and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.890. The AUCs of RDR, hernia defect angle, hernia volume, and abdominal wall muscle CT attenuation were 0.843, 0.812, 0.747, and 0.572, respectively. CONCLUSION: Quantitative CT measurements are of great value for preoperative prediction of CS. Hernia defect size, hernia volume, and the CT attenuation of abdominal wall muscle are all preoperative predictive indicators of CS.

Prospective cohort study on mesh shrinkage measured with MRI after robot-assisted minimal invasive retrorectus ventral hernia repair using an iron-oxide-loaded polyvinylidene fluoride mesh.

BACKGROUND: Mesh-reinforced ventral hernia repair is considered the gold standard treatment for all but the smallest of hernias. Human data on mesh shrinkage in the retrorectus mesh position is lacking. A prospective observational cohort study was performed to measure mesh shrinkage in robot-assisted minimal invasive retrorectus repair of ventral hernias. METHODS: A cohort of 20 patients underwent a robot-assisted minimal invasive retrorectus repair of their ventral hernia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging was performed one month and thirteen months after implantation of an iron-oxide-impregnated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) mesh to assess the decrease in mesh surface area. Inter-rater reliability among three radiologists regarding measurement of the mesh dimensions was analyzed. Quality of Life scoring was evaluated. RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability between the radiologists reported as the intra-class correlations proved to be excellent for mesh width (ICC 0.95), length (ICC 0.98) and surface area (ICC 0.99). Between MRI measurements at one month and thirteen months postoperatively, there was a significant increase in mesh surface area (+ 12.0 cm2, p = 0.0013) and mesh width (+ 0.8 cm, p < 0.001), while the length of the mesh remained unchanged (-0.1 cm, p = 0.754). Quality of Life Scoring showed a significant improvement in Quality of Life after one month and a further improvement at thirteen months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There was an excellent inter-rater reliability between three radiologists when measuring width, length, and surface area of an iron-oxide-impregnated PVDF mesh using MRI visualization. Mesh shrinkage was not observed, instead the effective mesh surface area and width of the mesh increased.

Umbilical Fascial Defects are Common and Predict Trocar Site Hernias After Laparoscopic Appendectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Investigations have demonstrated that trocar site hernia (TSH) is an under-appreciated complication of laparoscopic surgery, occurring in as many as 31%. We determined the incidence of fascial defects prior to laparoscopic appendectomy and its impact relative to other risk factors upon the development of TSH. METHODS: TSH was defined as a fascial separation of ≥ 1 cm in the abdominal wall umbilical region on abdominal computerized tomography scan (CT) following laparoscopic appendectomy. Patients admitted to our medical center who had both a preoperative CT and postoperative CT for any reason (greater than 30 days after surgery) were reviewed for the presence of TSH from May 2010 to December 2018. CT scans were measured for fascial defects, while investigators were blinded to film timing (preoperative or postoperative) and patient identity. Demographic information was collected. RESULTS: 241 patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy had both preoperative and late postoperative CT. TSH was identified in 49 (20.3%) patients. Mean preoperative fascial gap was 3.3 ± 4.3 mm in those not developing a postoperative hernia versus 14.8 ± 7.3 mm in those with a postoperative hernia (P < .0001). Preoperative fascial defect on CT was predictive of TSH (P < .001, OR = 1.44), with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of .921 (95%CI: .88-.92). Other major risk factors for TSH were: age greater than 59 years (P < .031, OR = 2.48); and obesity, BMI > 30 (P < .012, OR = 2.14). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of trocar site hernia was one in five following laparoscopic appendectomy. The presence of a pre-existing fascial defect, advanced age, and obesity were strong predictors for the development of trocar site hernia.

Are preoperative CT variables associated with the success or failure of subsequent ventral hernia repair: nested case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Systematic review of CT measurements to predict the success or failure of subsequent ventral hernia repair has found limited data available in the indexed literature. To rectify this, we investigated multiple preoperative CT metrics to identify if any were associated with postoperative reherniation. METHODS: Following ethical permission, we identified patients who had undergone ventral hernia repair and had preoperative CT scanning available. Two radiologists made multiple measurements of the hernia and abdominal musculature from these scans, including loss of domain. Patients were divided subsequently into two groups, defined by hernia recurrence at 1-year subsequent to surgery. Hypothesis testing investigated any differences between CT measurements from each group. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-eight patients (95 male) were identified, 34 (18%) whose hernia had recurred by 1-year. Only three of 34 CT measurements were significantly different when patients whose hernia had recurred were compared to those who had not; these significant findings were assumed contingent on multiple testing. In particular, preoperative hernia volume (recurrence 155.3 cc [IQR 355.65] vs. no recurrence 78.2 [IQR 303.52], p = 0.26) nor loss of domain, whether calculated using the Tanaka (recurrence 0.02 [0.04] vs. no recurrence 0.009 [0.04], p = 0.33) or Sabbagh (recurrence 0.019 [0.05] vs. no recurrence 0.009 [0.04], p = 0.25) methods, differed between significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CT measurements of ventral hernia morphology, including loss of domain, appear unrelated to postoperative recurrence. It is likely that the importance of such measurements to predict recurrence is outweighed by other patient factors and surgical reconstruction technique. KEY POINTS: • Preoperative CT scanning is often performed for ventral hernia but systematic review revealed little data regarding whether CT variables predict postoperative reherniation. • We found that the large majority of CT measurements, including loss of domain, did not differ significantly between patients whose hernia did and did not recur. • It is likely that the importance of CT measurements to predict recurrence is outweighed by other patient factors and surgical reconstruction technique.

Radiographic identification of thoracoabdominal hernias.

PURPOSE: Hernias spanning both chest and abdominal walls are uncommon and associated with chest wall trauma, coughing and obesity. This study describes the radiographic appearance of these hernias to guide proper identification and operative planning. Proposed standardized reporting patterns are also presented. METHODS: The cross sectional imaging of patients presenting with thoracoabdominal hernias was reviewed. Radiographic reports were supplemented by surgeon imaging review and operative findings during repair. Defect dimensions, hernia content, level of herniation, presence of osseous or cartilaginous disruption of the chest wall and degree of rib displacement were collected. Disruption of myofascial planes was also noted. RESULTS: Six patients were identified. All hernias occurred below the 9th rib and were associated with complete intercostal muscle disruption. The transversus abdominis was disrupted in all hernias and the internal oblique was disrupted in five of the hernias. The majority (83%) had caudal rib displacement (median 6.8 cm compared to contralateral side). Median hernia width was 10.35 cm (1.6-19.1 cm) and median length was 10.2 cm (1.8-14.3 cm). Five patients had associated bone/cartilage injuries: two with 11th rib fractures, two with combined bone and cartilaginous fractures and one with a surgical rib resection. CONCLUSION: The typical injury pattern of thoracoabdominal hernias includes disruption of the intercostal muscles, transversus abdominis, and commonly the internal oblique with an intact external oblique. Inferior rib displacement by hernia contents and unopposed pull of the abdominal musculature is common. Osseous or cartilaginous disruption always occurs unless the defect is bounded on at least one side by a floating rib.

Asymptomatic contralateral inguinal and ventral hernias among people with a workers' compensation claim for hernia.

STUDY AIM: There is a gap in evidence that demonstrates an increased risk of hernia formation in laborers. A notable incidence of a second asymptomatic hernia among people making a workers' compensation claim for a hernia would suggest that the pathology is not acute and probably not related to work, or the performance of a single strenuous event. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective database study of a consecutive sample of 106 adults who claimed a work-related abdominal hernia between September 2016 and December 2018 and had a Computed Tomography (CT) scan as part of a diagnostic workup. Hernias were classified as incidental if patients had a contralateral inguinal hernia with unilateral groin symptoms, or if patients had a ventral hernia with only groin symptoms or vice versa. RESULTS: Thirty-three percent of patients had an incidental hernia. No patient factors were associated with having an incidental hernia. Higher BMI and having a concurrent incidental hernia were associated with lower odds of surgical treatment under the injury claim. CONCLUSION: Abdominal symptoms after a work event might lead to a diagnosis of hernia, and there is a notable likelihood that the hernia is incidental and unrelated to work. New symptoms at or near the site of an abdominal hernia may or may not be from the hernia, and very often are more consistent with an abdominal muscle strain. The clinical or imaging finding of an abdominal wall defect or the presence of a hernia may be incidental, unrelated to the physical activity.

Concurrent Spigelian and Grynfeltt-Lesshaft Hernias.

Only 0.12% to 2% of diagnosed hernias are Spigelian type. Even less frequently encountered-Grynfeltt-Lesshaft hernias-hernias have unknown incidence. A Spigelian hernia is encountered along the Spigelian fascia and Grynfeltt-Lesshaft hernias are bounded by the superior lumbar triangle. These unique hernias can both be intermuscular, given their anatomical borders which allow concealment and preclusion of accurate diagnosis. Here, an 86-year-old male presented with symptoms consistent with small bowel obstruction. On physical exam, a right lower quadrant hernia and right posterior flank mass were appreciated. Computed tomography revealed obstruction secondary to bowel incarceration within Spigelian hernia and additional Grynfeltt-Lesshaft hernia. The patient underwent reduction and repair of Spigelian hernia with synthetic mesh, while repair of asymptomatic hernia was deferred. These unusual hernias are difficult to distinguish, given their negligible occurrence and unreliable exam findings. Clinicians must remain cognizant of their features to aid in diagnosis and mitigate potential sequelae.

Development and Validation of Image-Based Deep Learning Models to Predict Surgical Complexity and Complications in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction.

Importance: Image-based deep learning models (DLMs) have been used in other disciplines, but this method has yet to be used to predict surgical outcomes. Objective: To apply image-based deep learning to predict complexity, defined as need for component separation, and pulmonary and wound complications after abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study was performed at an 874-bed hospital and tertiary hernia referral center from September 2019 to January 2020. A prospective database was queried for patients with ventral hernias who underwent open AWR by experienced surgeons and had preoperative computed tomography images containing the entire hernia defect. An 8-layer convolutional neural network was generated to analyze image characteristics. Images were batched into training (approximately 80%) or test sets (approximately 20%) to analyze model output. Test sets were blinded from the convolutional neural network until training was completed. For the surgical complexity model, a separate validation set of computed tomography images was evaluated by a blinded panel of 6 expert AWR surgeons and the surgical complexity DLM. Analysis started February 2020. Exposures: Image-based DLM. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was model performance as measured by area under the curve in the receiver operating curve (ROC) calculated for each model; accuracy with accompanying sensitivity and specificity were also calculated. Measures were DLM prediction of surgical complexity using need for component separation techniques as a surrogate and prediction of postoperative surgical site infection and pulmonary failure. The DLM for predicting surgical complexity was compared against the prediction of 6 expert AWR surgeons. Results: A total of 369 patients and 9303 computed tomography images were used. The mean (SD) age of patients was 57.9 (12.6) years, 232 (62.9%) were female, and 323 (87.5%) were White. The surgical complexity DLM performed well (ROC = 0.744; P < .001) and, when compared with surgeon prediction on the validation set, performed better with an accuracy of 81.3% compared with 65.0% (P < .001). Surgical site infection was predicted successfully with an ROC of 0.898 (P < .001). However, the DLM for predicting pulmonary failure was less effective with an ROC of 0.545 (P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance: Image-based DLM using routine, preoperative computed tomography images was successful in predicting surgical complexity and more accurate than expert surgeon judgment. An additional DLM accurately predicted the development of surgical site infection.

Traumatic Abdominal Wall Hernia-A Series of 12 Patients and a Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: The traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) is strongly associated with blunt abdominal trauma. The importance of the CT scan cannot be underestimated-the diagnosis of TAWH is easy to miss clinically, but simple to spot radiologically. We report a case series of patients managed in a French-level one trauma centre, to contribute our experience in the detection and management of associated injuries, and of the hernia itself. METHODS: All patients (n = 4238) presenting to a single-level one trauma centre for trauma resuscitation (including systematic full-body computerised tomography) from November 2014 to February 2020 were screened for the presence of TAWH and prospectively added to our database. Particular attention was paid to the late detection of associated intra-abdominal injuries. Finally, the choice of management of the hernia itself was noted. A literature review of all case series and individual case reports until the time of writing was performed and summarised. RESULTS: We report 12 cases of TAWH amongst 4238 patients presenting to the trauma resuscitation bay between November 2014 and February 2020. All patients underwent a contrast-enhanced CT immediately after stabilisation. No patients had clinically detected TAWH prior to CT. Intra-abdominal injuries were found in 9 patients (75%), and urgent surgery was required in 7 patients (58.3%). Two (28.5%) of these seven patients had a missed diagnosis of intra-abdominal injury at the time of the index CT scan, although the TAWH had been detected. Based on our literature review, 271 patients across 12 case series were identified. In total, 183 (67;5%) of these patients were reported to have ≥ 1 associated intra-abdominal injuries. In total, 127 (46,8%) patients required an urgent laparotomy for management of these injuries. Five (3.9%) of the patients requiring urgent laparotomy had a missed CT diagnosis of intra-abdominal injury but not of TAWH at the time of the baseline CT. CONCLUSIONS: TAWH is a rare clinical entity that may alert to more significant, associated trauma lesions. The CT scan is the imaging modality of choice, to both diagnose and classify the hernia and to screen for other injuries. The presence of TAWH must lower the threshold to operatively explore or at least closely monitor these patients, in view of the high rate of false-negative findings at index imaging.

A comparison of postoperative outcomes after open and laparoscopic reduction of Petersen's Hernia: a multicenter observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this multicenter cohort study was to compare the clinical courses between open and laparoscopic Petersen's hernia (PH) reduction. METHOD: We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients who underwent PH repair surgery after gastrectomy for gastric cancer from 2015-2018. Forty patients underwent PH reduction operations that were performed by six surgeons at four hospitals. Among the 40 patients, 15 underwent laparoscopic PH reduction (LPH), and 25 underwent open PH reduction (OPH), including 4 patients who underwent LPH but required conversion to OPH. RESULTS: We compared the clinical factors between the LPH and OPH groups. In the clinical course, we found no differences in operation times or intraoperative bowel injury, morbidity, or mortality rates between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, the number of days on a soft fluid diet (OPH vs. LPH; 5.8 vs. 3.7 days, p = 0.03) and length of hospital stay (12.6 vs. 8.2 days, p = 0.04) were significantly less in the LPH group than the OPH group. Regarding postoperative complications, the OPH group had a case of pneumonia and sepsis with multi-organ failure, which resulted in mortality. In the LPH group, one patient experienced recurrence and required reoperation for PH. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic PH reduction was associated with a faster postoperative recovery period than open PH reduction, with a similar incidence of complications. The laparoscopic approach should be considered an appropriate strategy for PH reduction in selected cases.

The role of radiological classification of parastomal hernia as a predictor of the need for surgical hernia repair: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Parastomal hernia (PSH) is a frequent complication of stoma creation during colorectal surgery. Radiological classification systems have been proposed for PSH but are primarily used for research. Our objective was to determine if PSH radiological classification at diagnosis could predict the need for surgical repair during follow-up. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed 705 postoperative CT scans from 154 patients with permanent stoma creation from 2015 to 2018. Patients were included for analysis if a primary PSH was diagnosed on any exam. PSH were classified according to the European Hernia Society (EHS) and Moreno-Matias (MM) classification systems. RESULTS: The incidence of radiological PSH was 41% (63/154) after a median radiological follow-up of 19.2 months (interquartile range, 10.9-32.9). Surgical repair was required in 17 of 62 patients with a primary PSH. There was no significant correlation between PSH classification and surgical hernia repair for either the EHS (p = 0.56) or MM classification systems (p = 0.35) in a univariate analysis. However, in a multivariate analysis, the type of PSH according to the EHS classification was significantly correlated with PSH repair during follow-up (p = 0.02). Type III PSH were associated with a lower incidence of surgical hernia repair as compared with type I, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.01 (95% CI, <0.00-0.20). A similar correlation was not seen using the MM classification (p = 0.10). CONCLUSION: EHS classification of PSH was significant correlated with the need for surgical repair during short-term follow-up. Prospective studies are required to establish a potential role in patient care.

[Computed tomography for assessment of postoperative outcomes in patients with parastomal hernia]. / Primenenie mul'tispiral'noi komp'yuternoi tomografii dlya otsenki effektivnosti khirurgicheskogo lecheniya patsientov s parakolostomicheskoi gryzhei.

OBJECTIVE: To show the efficacy of innovative hybrid intraperitoneal alloplasty in patients with parastomal hernia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Treatment outcomes were assessed in 60 patients with parastomal hernia using computed tomography. CONCLUSION: The innovative hybrid intraperitoneal alloplasty reduces the risk of recurrence by 7 times (p=0.01).

Laparoscopic repair of hepatic herniation through a ventral incisional hernia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ventral incisional hernia is a common problem after abdominal surgery. Most patients with these hernias present with greater omentum and gastrointestinal prolapse. However, hepatic herniation through a ventral incisional hernia is a rare phenomenon that has been seldom reported in the literature. We report the case of a ventral incisional hernia with hepatic herniation treated with laparoscopic repair. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old Japanese women with a history of myocardial resection for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 1 year earlier was admitted to our hospital with symptoms of vomiting and epigastric pain. Physical examination showed a 4-cm epigastric mass. Abdominal computed tomography revealed left hepatic lobe herniation through the lower edge of a mid-sternal incision. We diagnosed the patient with a ventral incisional hernia with hepatic herniation. The patient underwent laparoscopic hernia repair. During an 18-month follow-up, no recurrence or symptoms have been observed. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of laparoscopic repair of ventral incisional hernias with hepatic herniation. Laparoscopic repair was useful and suitable for this rare herniation due to its minimally invasive nature and ability to achieve sufficient visibility of the surgical field. Laparoscopic repair could be a potential treatment option for elective surgery for this disease, which is often treated conservatively.

Preoperative botulinum toxin A injection in complex abdominal wall reconstruction- a propensity-scored matched study.

INTRODUCTION: Fascial closure during complex abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) improves recurrence and wound infection rates. To facilitate fascial closure in massive ventral hernias preoperative Botulinum Toxin A (BTA) injection can be used. METHODS: 2:1 propensity-scored matching of patients undergoing AWR with and without BTA was performed based on BMI, defect width, and loss of domain using CT-volumetric analysis. RESULTS: 145 patients without BTA and 75 with BTA were comparable on hernia size (240vs251cm2, p = 0.589) and hernia volume (1405vs1672cm3, p = 0.243). Patients with BTA had higher wound class (CDC≥3 37%vs13%, p < 0.001). Patients with BTA had a higher fascial closure rate (92%vs81%, p = 0.036), received more components separation (61%vs47%, p = 0.042), lower wound infection rate (12%vs26%,p = 0.019) and comparable recurrence rates (9%vs12%, p = 0.589). Recurrences occurred more often without complete fascial closure compared to patients with (33%vs7%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with massive ventral hernias and severe loss of domain, preoperative BTA-injection improves fascial closure rates during AWR.