Incisional Hernia Repair: Laparoscopic or Open? A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Incisional hernia that may occur following abdominal surgeries affect the quality of life and lead to loss of labor by causing morbidity. It is a continuing problem of surgery due to high rates of prevalence and morbidity. This study aimed to compare laparoscopic versus conventional method of incisional hernia repair. Methods: Forty patients with incisional hernia who underwent hernia repair by laparoscopic (n = 20) or conventional (n = 20) technique between January 2010 and January 2011 in our clinic were included in the study . Preoperative, peroperative and postoperative data were collected prospectively, and the patients were followed up for a period of 1 year. Results: No statistical difference was found between two hernia repair groups in terms of age, sex, number of previous abdominal surgery, distribution of incisional hernia and size of the defect. Mean body mass index (BMI) was significantly (P = 0.001) greater in laparoscopic group. No statistical difference was found between two groups in terms of duration of operation, while laparoscopic repair group was significantly advantageous over conventional repair group with regard to pain and discharge time. Complication rates were 15% and 40% in laparoscopic and conventional repair group, respectively. Only one recurrence occurred in either group within 1 year follow-up period. Conclusions: Technological advances in laparoscopic surgery lead to shorter duration of operation, less pain and more rapid discharge from the hospital. It is concluded that lower rate of complication and applicability to obese patients render laparoscopic incisional hernia repair a more reliable and satisfactory technique compared with the conventional technique. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jcs154w