Totally endoscopic surgery on diastasis recti associated with midline hernias. The advantages of a minimally invasive approach. Prospective cohort study

Purpose To evaluate prospectively the feasibility and the duration of the plication of both aponeurosis through a totally endoscopic approach to the diastasis recti associated with midline hernias, correcting both pathologies simultaneously and objectively looking at their advantages and complications. Methods The prospective cohort study included patients suffering from midline hernias equal to or bigger than 2 cm size and associated diastasis recti, from April 2011 to October 2012. Full endoscopic subcutaneous approach is used to perform the surgery. An ultrasound scan was carried out to identify inter-rectus distances and recurrences in xiphoid, 3 cm supraumbilical and 2 cm subumbilical locations. Results A total of 21 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 20 months. The main complication was seroma. A significant reduction in the average distance between the rectus muscles was shown before surgery and at 1 month postoperative measures in all three locations ( p