Incisional hernia rates following midline laparotomy in the obese patient: a retrospective review

Purpose Incisional hernia is the most common complication of midline laparotomy. Although obesity is a known risk factor, the incidence of hernia formation in obese patients is not well defined. We sought to define the rate of incisional hernia formation in obese patients undergoing primary midline laparotomy in a large academic medical center. Methods Obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) who underwent an elective or urgent primary midline laparotomy from 2017 to 2021 at our institution were retrospectively identified. A blinded hernia surgeon reviewed imaging to assess for incisional hernia formation, defined as a midline fascial defect with intra-abdominal contents herniated outside of the peritoneal cavity. Results A total of 2241 patients met inclusion criteria. Cross-sectional imaging was available for 914 (41%) of these patients. The median BMI for all patients was 34.3 kg/m 2 (range 30.0–59.1). Median time to follow-up imaging was 316 days (181–957, IQR = 185) for all patients and 316 days (201–903, IQR = 184) for patients with incisional hernia. In total, 474 (51.9%) had radiographic evidence of an incisional hernia. Colorectal and General Surgery demonstrated the highest rate of incisional hernia ( p