Comparison of laparoscopic and open repair of incisional and primary ventral hernia: results of a prospective randomized study. Laparoscopic versus open ventral hernia repair: a randomized controlled trial. The comparison of laparoscopic and open ventral hernia repairs: a prospective randomized study. Retromuscular sutured incisional hernia repair: a randomized controlled trial to compare open and laparoscopic approach. A prospective study between two different techniques for the repair of a large recurrent ventral hernia: a double mesh intraperitoneal repair versus onlay mesh repair. Comparison of laparoscopic and open repair with mesh for the treatment of ventral incisional hernia: a randomized trial. Laparoscopic transperitoneal versus extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: a prospective clinical trial. Laparoscopic treatment vs open surgery in the solution of major incisional and abdominal wall hernias with mesh. Bassini repair compared with laparoscopic repair for primary inguinal hernia: a randomised controlled trial.
Incisional hernia is an important complication of abdominal surgery. Its repair has progressed from a primary suture repair to various mesh repairs and laparoscopic repair. Laparoscopic mesh repair is a promising alternative, and in the absence of consensus, needs prospective randomized controlled trials.
                Between April 2003 and April 2005, 66 patients with incisional, primary ventral and recurrent hernias were randomized to receive either open retro-rectus mesh repair or laparoscopic mesh repair. These patients were followed up at 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals thereafter for a mean of 12.17 months (open repair group) and 13.73 months (laparoscopic repair group).
                Lower abdominal hernias after gynecologic operations constituted the majority of the hernias (approximately 50%) in both groups. There was no significant injury to viscera or vessel in either group and no conversions. The defect size was 42.12 cm in the open (group 1) and 65.66 cm2 in the laparoscopic group (group 2), and the prosthesis sizes were, respectively, 152.67 cm2 and 203.83 cm2. The hospital stay was 3.43 days in open group and 1.47 days in laparoscopic group (p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in the pain scores between the two groups. More wound-related infectious complications occurred in the open group (33%) than in the laparoscopic group (6%) (p = 0.013). There was one recurrence in the open repair group (3%) and two recurrences in laparoscopic group (6%) (p = 0.55).
                Laparoscopic repair of incisional and ventral hernias is superior to open mesh repair in terms of significantly less blood loss, fewer complications, shorter hospital stay, and excellent cosmetic outcome. Laparoscopic and open techniques are both recognized treatment options for ventral hernias. We conducted a prospective randomized trial of both methods, to assess hernia recurrence, postoperative recovery and complications. Fifty-eight patients with ventral hernias were enrolled into the trial between August 2003 and December 2005. Of these, 31 underwent laparoscopic repair and 27 underwent open repair. Clinical parameters were documented on all patients during a median follow-up period of 27.5 months. The demographics of the two groups were similar. There was one recurrence in each of the laparoscopic and open groups. There was an equivalent rate of operative time, length of stay, postoperative pain scores, return to normal activities, wound infection and seroma formation between the two groups. Laparoscopic and open ventral hernia repair are comparable and offer low recurrence rates. The laparoscopic approach has emerged in the search for a surgical technique to decrease the morbidity associated with conventional repair of ventral hernias. In this study we aimed to compare the results of our open and laparoscopic ventral hernia repairs prospectively.
                Between January 2001 and October 2005, a total of 46 patients diagnosed with ventral hernias (primary and incisional) who were admitted to our surgical unit and accepted to be included in this study group were examined. All patients were divided into laparoscopic repair (n = 23) and open repair (n = 23) subgroups in a randomized fashion. The patients' demographic characteristics, operation times, body mass indices, sizes of fascial defects, hernia locations, durations of hospital stay, presence and degrees of postoperative pain, and postoperative minor and major complications were analysed and compared. All the data were expressed as means +/- SDs. Chi-square and Wilcoxon tests were used for statistical analysis, and P < 0.05 was accepted as a significant statistical value (SPSS 11.0 for Windows).
                The demographic characteristics of both groups were similar. Women predominated, especially in the laparoscopy group (P < 0.05). The comparison of the results revealed that the major advantage of laparoscopy was the shortened postoperative hospital stay and the reduced incidence of mesh infection (P < 0.05, P < 0.05). On the other hand, operation time was significantly longer in the laparoscopy group (P < 0.05). The major complications encountered in the laparoscopy group were ileus and a missed enterotomy. The most frequent minor complication was seroma, which was significantly more frequent in the laparoscopy group (P < 0.05). Postoperative pain assessment revealed similar results in both groups (P > 0.05).
                The laparoscopic approach appears to be as effective as open repairs in the treatment of ventral hernias. Advanced surgical skill, laparoscopic experience and high technology are mandatory factors for successful ventral hernia repair. To compare the early and intermediate results of the open and laparoscopic tension-free repair of incisional hernia, 24 patients were randomized prospectively to undergo laparoscopic or open repair of incisional hernia with retromuscular placement of the prosthesis using transabdominal sutures for mesh fixation. All the procedures were completed as planned. The mean duration of surgery was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P=0.15). Time to oral solid food intake was longer in the open group (P=0.002). The analgesic requirement was lower in the laparoscopic group (P=0.05). One patient after open surgery and 2 in the laparoscopic group suffered postoperative complications (P=0.71). Postoperative stay was shorter in the laparoscopic group (P=0.006). No readmission or recurrence was registered within 6 months from surgery in either group. Laparoscopic incisional hernia repair, based on the Rives-Stoppa technique, is a safe, feasible alternative to open techniques. However, larger studies and long-term follow-up are required to further evaluate the true effectiveness of this operation. Massive ventral hernias are difficult to repair, especially with multiple recurrences. Numerous methods of repair have been described with an overall recurrence rate up to 33% after first repair and 44% after second repair, mostly occurring within 3 years of the repair.
                This is a prospective study on 41 patients who underwent surgery between January 2000 and August 2004 for recurrent large ventral hernias. Patients were randomized into two groups: group A included 22 patients, who were subjected to suture repair with an onlay polypropylene mesh, and group B, which included 19 patients, who were subjected to a tailored double mesh (Vicryl + polypropylene) intraperitoneal repair.
                Superficial wound infection occurred in two patients (4.8%), one in each group. By a median follow up of 30 months, seroma formation or hernia recurrence was not found in group B in comparison to seven and six cases, respectively, in group A (p < or = 0.000). There was no intraabdominal complication in the cases subjected to double mesh intraperitoneal repair due to the protective effect of the inner Vicryl layer, which is characterized by its low reactivity.
                A double mesh intraperitoneal repair (ADMIR) is successful for the repair of recurrent large ventral hernias as it is applicable to all sites of ventral hernias. The mesh is mostly hidden within the abdomen with relatively affordable pain allowing for early mobilization, the complication rate is low and so far no recurrence was reported. A long-term follow up with a larger number of cases is advisable in order to determine the long-term success of this kind of repair. Laparoscopic repair of ventral incisional hernias has not been proved to be safer than open mesh repair.
                Prospective randomized trial conducted between February 1, 2004, to January 31, 2007.
                Four Veterans Affairs medical centers.
                One hundred sixty-two patients with ventral incisional hernias.
                Standardized laparoscopic or open repair.
                Overall complication rates at 8 weeks and the odds of complications, adjusted for study site, body mass index, and hernia type.
                Of the 162 randomized patients, 146 underwent surgery (73 open and 73 laparoscopic repairs). Complications were less common in the laparoscopic group (23 patients [31.5%]) compared with the open repair group (35 patients [47.9%]; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.91; P = .03). Surgical site infection through 8 weeks was less common in the laparoscopic group (5.6% vs 23.3%; AOR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.6). The mean worst pain score in the laparoscopic group was 15.2 mm lower on a visual analog scale at 52 weeks (95% CI, 1.0-29.3; P = .04). Time to resume work activities was shorter for the laparoscopic group than for the open repair group (median, 23.0 days vs 28.5 days), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.54 (95% CI, 0.28-1.04; P = .06). Overall recurrence at 2 years was 12.5% in the laparoscopic group and 8.2% in the open repair group (AOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.5-4.7; adjusted P = .44).
                Laparoscopic repair was associated with fewer, albeit more severe, complications and improved some patient-centered outcomes. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00240188. A prospective series of 106 inguinal hernias in 91 patients is studied, comparing two methods of laparoscopic hernia repair: a transperitoneal technique with preperitoneal stapled mesh fixation (TransAbdominal PrePeritoneal or TAPP-technique) performed in 33 patients, and a totally extraperitoneal placement of non stapled mesh (Totally ExtraPeritoneal Approach or TEPA-technique) performed in 58 patients. Conversions to open repair were equally frequent (5% vs. 7% respectively) and were due to adhesions, haemorrhage, irreducible intestinal loop in the hernial sac or important subcutaneous emphysema. Minor postoperative complications included regional seroma or haematoma, testicular pain and meralgia paraesthetica. There was no mortality nor long lasting complication. Recurrence rates in both groups amounted 2.7% (TAPP) and 2.8% (TEPA) respectively after a mean follow-up of 15.8 months (TAPP) and 17.6 months (TEPA). In both groups early recovery of normal activities was noted, after a mean of respectively 13.6 days (TAPP) and 12.9 days (TEPA). It is concluded that the transabdominal route and the totally extraperitoneal approach for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy are both adequate techniques for inguinal hernia repair with similar complication and short-term recurrence rates. Despite being one of the most exact indications, laparoscopic treatment of eventrations and ventral hernias is barely known among the array of laparoscopic techniques.
                A total of 60 patients were assigned at random over a 3-year period to two homogeneous groups to be operated on for major ventral hernias with mesh. Half of them were operated upon laparoscopically and the rest with open surgery. Early and longer-term complications were analyzed, as were operative time and postoperative hospital stays.
                The two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. The group that was operated on laparoscopically presented a lower rate of postoperative and longer-term complications; similarly, surgery time was significantly lower (p < 0.05). Hospitalization time was also significantly lower than in the group undergoing conventional open surgery (p < 0.05).
                Laparoscopic treatment of postoperative eventration and primary ventral hernia reduces complications and relapse rates, eliminates reintervention through mesh infection, reduces operative time, and considerably shortens the hospital stay. To compare the effectiveness of open and laparoscopic primary inguinal hernia repair.
                Randomised controlled trial.
                University hospital, The Netherlands.
                87 patients had 103 open repairs and 88 patients had 114 laparoscopic repairs between November 1993 and July 1995.
                Laparoscopic repair by the transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) technique and open repair by the Bassini technique.
                Recurrence, morbidity, pain, and duration of convalescence.
                Operating time was longer for laparoscopy (mean (SD): 82 (28) compared with 45 (15) minutes p < 0.001). Patients in the Bassini group had higher postoperative pain scores (mean (SD)VAS: 2.9 (1.6) compared with 2.0 (1.6) p=0.002), used more analgesics (median total intake: 2 (0-54) compared with 0 tablets (0-42) p=0.008), and needed a longer convalescence time (mean (SD) time to return to work: 22 (12.6) compared with 14 (10.1) days p < 0.001; mean (SD) time to return to physical activities: 27 (12.6) compared with 17 (12.2) days p < 0.001). Mean follow up was 24 months. Recurrence rates were 21% (22/ 103) after Bassini and 6% (7/114) after laparoscopic repair (p=0.001).
                Laparoscopic hernia repair is a safe operation, which has obvious advantages over the Bassini repair in terms of pain, use of analgesic drugs, resumption of activities, and recurrence. A disadvantage of the laparoscopic repair is the longer operating time.
The short-term results of laparoscopic repair in ventral hernia are promising. In spite of the risks of adhesiolysis, the technique is safe. Nevertheless, long-term follow-up is needed in order to elucidate whether laparoscopic repair of ventral/incisional hernia is efficacious.