Incisional Hernia in the United States: Trends in Hospital Encounters and Corresponding Healthcare Charges

Incisional hernia (IH) is a challenging, potentially morbid condition. This study evaluates recent trends in hospital encounters associated with IH care in the United States. Using Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases from 2007 to 2011, annual estimates of IH-related hospital discharges, charges, and serious adverse events were identified. Significance in observed trends was tested using regression modeling. From 2007 to 2011, there were 583,054 hospital discharges associated with a diagnosis of IH. 81.1 per cent had a concurrent procedure for IH repair. The average discharge included a female patient (63.2%), 59.8 years of age, with either Medicare (45.3%) or Private insurance (38.3%) as the anticipated primary payer. Comparing 2007 to 2011, significant increases in IH discharges (12%; 2007 = 109,702 vs 2011 = 123,034, P = 0.009) and IH repairs (10%; 2007 = 90,588 vs 2011 = 99,622, P < 0.001) were observed. This was accompanied by a 37 per cent increase in hospital charges (2007 = $44,587 vs 2011 = $60,968, P < 0.001), resulting in a total healthcare bill of $7.3 billion in 2011. Significant trends toward greater patient age (2007 = 59.7 years vs 2011 = 60.2 years, P < 0.001), higher comorbidity index (2007 = 3.0 vs 2011 = 3.5, P < 0.001), and increased frequency of serious adverse events (2007 = 13.5% vs 2011 = 17.7%, P < 0.001) were noted. Further work is needed to identify interventions to mitigate the risk of IH development.