Introduction:
Double-layer dermal grafts are used for the management of complicated abdominal wall hernias in obese, high risk patients. The method has not yet been used in case of emergency in septic/dirty environment.
Case report:
A 76-year old female patient (BMI 36.7kg/m2) was admitted with mechanical bowel obstruction and sepsis caused by a third time recurred, incarcerated and eventrated abdominal wall hernia. During the emergency surgery perforation of the terminal ileum and the ascending colon was detected, along with a feculent peritonitis and extended abdominal wall necrosis. Extended right hemicolectomy and necrectomy of the abdominal wall were performed. The surgery resulted in an abdominal wall defect measuring 223cm2, for the management of which direct closure was not possible. Using a specific method, an autologous dermal graft was prepared from the redundant skin. The first dermal graft was placed under the abdominal wall with 5cm overlap, and the second layer was placed onto the first layer with 3cm overlap in a perforated fashion. The operating time was 250min. No significant intra-abdominal pressure elevation was measured. No reoperation was performed. On the fifth postoperative day, the patient was mobilised. She was discharged in satisfactory general condition on the 18th postoperative day. There is no recurrent hernia 8 months after the surgery.
Discussion:
Abdominal wall reconstruction was possible in a necrotic, purulent environment by using a de-epithelised autologous double layer dermal graft, without synthetic or biological graft implantation. The advantage of the procedure was cost-effectivity, and the disadvantage was that only in an obese patient is the sufficient quantity of dermal graft available.
Conclusion:
A homogeneous internal and perforated outer dermal graft was suitable for bridging the abdominal gap in the case of an obese, high risk patient. Autologous dermal grafts can be a safe and feasible alternative to biological meshes in emergency abdominal wall surgeries. Evaluation of a case series can be the next cornerstone of the method described above.