Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair: An Initial Institutional Experience

Background. Ventral and incisional hernias remain a problem for surgeons with reported recurrence rates of 25–50% for open repairs. Laparoscopic approaches offer several theoretical advantages over open repairs. Materials and methods. All patients undergoing a laparoscopic ventral hernia repair from April to December 2000 were prospectively entered in a database. Patients underwent repair with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene dual mesh. Full-thickness abdominal wall nonabsorbable sutures and 5-mm tacks were placed circumferentially. Results. Of 32 patients, 15 underwent incisional repair, 13 had repair of a recurrent incisional hernia, and 4 had repair of a primary abdominal wall defect. Two procedures [2/32; 6.3%] were converted to open, one for loss of abdominal domain and one for neovascularization due to cirrhosis. There were two early recurrences [2/30; 6.7%]. Both of these failures occurred in patients with hernia defects extending to the inguinal ligament, preventing placement of full-thickness abdominal wall sutures inferiorly. Average operating time was 128 ± 42 min (range 37–225 min). Average length of stay was 1.8 days [range 0–7 days]. There were no transfusion requirements or wound infections. One patient underwent a small bowel resection after completion of repair. One patient required drainage of a seroma 4 weeks after the procedure. Conclusions. Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair can be safely performed with an acceptable early recurrence rate, operative time, length of stay, and morbidity. Securing the mesh with full-thickness abdominal wall sutures in at least four quadrants remains a key factor in preventing early recurrence.