Incisional hernia treatment with polypropylene graft: results of 10 years.

PURPOSE: To report herein our results of tension-free repair of large incisional hernia with polypropylene mesh using a modification of the method that was described by Usher. METHOD: Two hundred ninety-one patients who were operated on between January 1994 and December 2004 were studied. Two hundred thirty-two patients were female (79.7%), and 59 were male (20.3%). The average follow-up period was 55 months. The patients were evaluated for infection, recurrences, hematoma and seroma formation, sinuses and enterocutaneous fistula formation. RESULTS: Infection was observed in eight patients (2.7%). Graft removal due to infection was encountered only in two patients (0.6%). Recurrence was observed in six patients (2.1%). Two patients (0.6%) developed hematoma while another two developed seroma. No patient developed enterocutaneous fistula. CONCLUSION: By using our modified technique we can decrease the expected complications after tension-free repair of large incisional hernias.