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34 Loss of Abdominal Domain: Defi nition and Treatment Strategies
363
musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and pulmonary systems. This unfortunate cycle leads to psychosocial issues with overall poor quality of life that may only be restored with surgical repair.
Complications of Repair
When repairing loss of domain, the challenge is to restore physiologic, mechanical, and func­tional capacity of the abdominal wall. Repairing the cylinder forces and bringing abdominal con­tents back into the abdominal cavity can increase intra- abdominal tension which can lead to abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) . It also results in elevation of the diaphragm which can lead to respiratory insuffi ciency. Component sep­aration, a commonly used method of repair, increases the size of the cylinder allowing a decrease in intra- abdominal tension.
Presentation
usually results from crystalloid volume expansion in the acute phase of injury that leads to bowel edema and increased intra- abdominal volume. Third-spacing of fl uids also produces myofascial wall edema that results in a non-compliant abdom­inal wall that interferes with midline closure. These patients are often closed with an absorbable mesh material with either a skin fl ap advance­ment closure or skin grafted after a granulation bed is established. A more complicated open abdomen scenario is when a prior midline closure dehisces, a midline wound infection develops, or traumatic injury occurs that mandates abdominal wall debridement. In this situation, there is loss of anterior rectus fascia and rectus muscle. This problem leads to both an increase of the width of the hernia defect and less healthy anatomy for a future abdominal wall reconstruction. Most of these patients present 8–24 months after hospital discharge with a skin graft over the midline hernia defect. Figure 34.2 demonstrates a loss-of-domain hernia that has a skin graft closure of a traumatic abdominal injury.
Introduction
Loss of domain hernias seem to be is an increas­ingly frequent problem. This is a function of the high-quality trauma critical care that saves lives, but may yield more complex chronic open abdominal wounds. Also recurrent hernia and mesh complications lead to attenuated, distorted, or destroyed anatomy. Finally, obesity makes a signifi cant contribution to the incidence and prevalence of the loss of domain hernia.
Emergency Surgery’s Role
Current trauma and critical care techniques and protocols have improved survival from acute trau­matic and surgical emergencies. The use of open abdomen techniques for repeated abdominal washouts has saved lives, but resulted in emer­gence of unintended challenging consequences. Based on the individual injury pattern, there may be a basic mismatch between abdominal content volume and abdominal wall circumference, pre­venting primary closure of the midline fascia. This
Fig. 34.2 Loss of domain hernia that has a skin graft clo­sure of a traumatic abdominal injury
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Recurrent Hernia’s Role
Recurrent hernia and mesh complications can also contribute to the development of a loss of domain hernia. Multiple prior surgical proce­dures with mesh implantation and subsequent explantation can lead to loss of tissue integrity. This can be prior motor nerve damage that leads to muscle atrophy. Conversely, fully integrated and rigid mesh implants from prior repairs can reduce body wall compliance that limits myofas­cial advancement for midline closure. Damage done by recurrent hernia surgery can create tissue loss and compromise tissue plans similar to those of the emergency or traumatic type.
Obesity’s Role
Obesity is highly prevalent and is both a cause and an effect of hernias. Patients with hernias gain weight due to physical limitations, and patients who become obese develop hernias more fre­quently. Central obesity is a major contributor to loss of domain hernias due to increased tensile forces loaded on the abdominal wall musculature. It is well documented that obesity by defi nition is a state of chronic intra-abdominal hypertension. Freeze et al. estimated that for every 1 kg/mm 2 increase in BMI, there was on average a
0.07 mmHg increase in intra-abdominal pressure [ 2 ]. Similarly, obesity is a major limitation to proper hernia repair, due to the volume mismatch between the abdominal viscera and the abdominal domain. Even though a component separation technique may increase the volume of the abdom­inal domain, it may not be enough to allow vis­ceral return into the abdominal cavity with facial closure. Figure 34.3 demonstrates a loss of domain hernia related to morbid obesity.
Optimization for Surgery
Introduction
Preoperative preparation of both the surgeon and the patient is absolutely mandatory to treat loss of domain hernias. This concept will be addressed
Fig. 34.3 Loss of domain hernia in the setting of severe morbid obesity
more broadly in other chapters. Here I will focus on preoperative steps specifi c to cases of loss of domain.
The Surgeon’s Preparation
Surgeon preparation focuses on three areas: old chart review, a physical exam, and a radiographic assessment. Most patients with loss of domain have a complicated surgical history. Obtaining and reviewing those notes will help the surgeon to understand the distorted surgical anatomy that will be encountered at the time of the planned hernia repair. Details about the type of sutures placed, implanted mesh material type, location and size, as well as any prior facial component layers that may have been released, are all important facts to know prior to surgery. The second important step is a thorough physical exam. Generally, a func­tional capacity and readiness for surgery can be assessed during an offi ce exam. Focusing on the abdomen, matching the abdominal scars with the past surgical history can build a continuity to the case. Assessing for open wounds, broad scars, skin grafts, and stomas provides more data that will be factored into the surgical plan. A functional exam of the abdomen can quantify the size of the hernia defect and assess for the relative compliance of the abdominal wall. While the patient is supine and relaxed, I often try to palpate the medial rectus edges and try to pull them toward the midline. If
34 Loss of Abdominal Domain: Defi nition and Treatment Strategies
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there is laxity in the abdominal wall, this is a good predictor of potential midline closure. Also, if a skin graft is present, the “pinch test” can be per­formed to assess if the underlying bowel will sepa­rate from the graft. The third preoperative step is obtaining and reviewing an abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) scan. Again, building congru­ency between the history, exam, and imaging is very important to mitigate the chances of intraop­erative surprises. I assess the CT for old mesh, metal tacks, surgical staples, the hernia width and length, volume of the abdominal contents outside the abdominal wall, and the quality of the abdomi­nal wall anatomy available for reconstruction.
Once the medical records, physical exam fi nd­ings, and CT scan are reviewed and correlated, the surgical technique planning can occur. Preoperative patient goals for risk reduction, pre­habilitation, and recovery timeline can be set in cooperation with the patient and family.
The Patient’s Preparation
Most loss of domain hernias are not emergency cases, such as an acute bowel obstruction or mesh­related sepsis. As elective cases, these hernia repairs allow for maximal preoperative prepara­tion of the patient. I have fi ve main parameters that must be met prior to surgery. The patient must be tobacco-free for at least 1 month prior to surgery and must agree to stay tobacco-free for a mini­mum of 2 months after surgery. This will reduce pulmonary and wound complications that are fre­quent enough in complex hernia repairs without a smoking history. Nutritionally, the patient must have an albumin greater than 3.5 g/dL. Dozens of studies since the late 1990s across all medical spe­cialties have demonstrated worse surgical out­comes and higher mortality rates in patients who are chronically hypoalbuminemic. For patients who are nutritionally defi cient, a nutrition consul­tation and focused plan is developed to correct the problem before surgery. For diabetics, proper glu­cose control is critical. A hemoglobin A1c (HgA1c) of 7% correlates to an average blood glu­cose level of 150 mg/dL, and 8% correlated to 200 mg/dL. A serum HgA1c greater than 7% is
associated with a increased wound infections and overall poor wound healing. Collaboration with the primary care provider or endocrinologist can greatly improve this metric. For patients with a poor baseline functional status, a pre-habilitation plan is established. Though a loss of domain her­nia can greatly reduce a patient’s ability to exer­cise, I place no limitations on their ability to ambulate. The cardiopulmonary physiologic strain which will be created after re- establishing a func­tional abdominal wall requires patients to build a physiologic reserve prior to elective surgery. I ask that patients progress to walking a minimum of 30 min per day. Weight loss is a common point of preoperative discussion with patients. In loss of domain hernias, the ability to close the fascia is directly related to the volume of the abdominal viscera. Preoperative weight loss can reduce the volume of the liver, omentum, and retroperitoneal adiposity. Typically, a body mass index (BMI) above 40 kg/m 2 will trigger a weight loss discus­sion. This is particularly important for patients with central obesity and high BMI. No myofascial advancement surgical technique can compensate for inadequate preoperative weight loss. The real­ity is that many of our patients present with one or more of the above-described risk factors. Once again, we require smoking cessation, weight con­trol, diabetes optimization, healthy eating, and daily exercise, to ensure the best possible results. It is the surgeon’s responsibility to counsel the patient on the complexity of a loss of domain her­nia and the life-treating risks of surgery done under suboptimal circumstances. The patient as an advocate is more likely to prepare than the patient as an adversary.
Surgical Strategies for Loss of Domain
Introduction
When approaching a patient with a loss of domain hernia, several questions need to be answered. First can the hernia be technically fi xed. This means that if the patient is fully optimized, is the proper functional anatomy available to obtain
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primary fascial closure of the abdomen with mesh implant reinforcement? If the answer is yes, then the question whether it should be fi xed needs to be answered. This means that if the operation is done, will the patient be functionally better off? If the answer is yes, the question of how technically should the repair be done can be approached. Finally, who is the surgeon to under­take the repair?
There are many techniques that have been applied to the treatment of complex hernias. The loss of domain hernia is one of the most chal­lenging hernia scenarios. Often, multiple advanced hernia techniques will need to be woven together in order for the repair to be suc­cessful. It is important to remember that the core principles of hernia repair, such as primary fas­cial closure under physiologic mention, wide mesh overlap, aseptic technique, and proper soft- tissue debridement and closure, must be maintained for the repair to have durability.
Component Separation Techniques
Component separation is a commonly used term for multiple different surgical techniques applied to closing abdominal wall defects. At its roots, component separation is the dismantling of the individual layers of the abdominal wall in order to advance innervated and vascularized myofas­cial tissue across a defect. There are multiple dif­ferent techniques that will be more thoroughly covered in other chapters. In cases of loss of domain hernias, the two most commonly used are the external oblique release and the transversus abdominis release (TAR).
The Ramirez technique is the most widely adopted component separation technique, utilized by both plastic and general surgeons [ 3 ]. It is highly reproducible and provides 4–10 cm of advancement on each side, allowing closures of midline defects up to 20 cm wide. An important benefi t to this technique is the fl exibility of poten­tial locations to implant the mesh. Ramirez affords the option of placing the mesh intra- abdominally, retro-rectus or as an onlay, to best fi t the repair. In contrast, a downside to the external oblique
release is the need to mobilize adipocutaneous fl aps to access the lateral abdominal wall. Skin fl ap creation can reduce perfusion to the overlying skin, increasing the risk for fl ap necrosis and post­operative wound complications.
I typically select the Ramirez technique to repair a loss of domain hernia in two distinct sce­narios. The fi rst scenario is when creation of skin fl aps is adventageous, such a performing a conco­mient panniculectomy or when removing a prior large skin graft. In this situation the skin will be excised, necessitating the adipocutaneous layer advancement to obtain skin closure over the fascial closure. Figure 34.4 demonstrates how a pannicu- lectomy exposes the external oblique aponeurosis. The second scenario is when the hernia sac extends laterally past the semilunar line. In this case, the hernia sac has essentially dissected the skin fl aps, so when the hernia sac is mobilized, the external oblique aponeurosis will be exposed, allowing easy division for myofascial advancement.
The Novitsky technique , also called posterior component separation or TAR, is a myofascial release of the transversus abdominis muscle [ 4 ]. Access to the release point is made by entering the posterior sheath in the retro-rectus location. By releasing the transversus abdominis muscle, the lateral pre-peritoneal location can be accessed all the way to the paraspinal muscles. This affords wide area from the diaphragm to the pelvis in the vertical axis and from paraspinal muscles to paraspinal muscles in the transverse axis in which to implant the mesh. Since the mesh will lay in the pre-peritoneal location, an inexpensive, non- barrier, macroporous mesh can be used. A major benefi t of the TAR approach is that no skin fl aps are raised for the reduction of the her­nia, the myofascial advancement, or for mesh implantation. This may yield lower postoperative wound complications when compared to other component separation techniques. Conversely, the TAR is technically more diffi cult and makes the peritoneal layer of prime importance in the repair. The peritoneum is of variable thickness and can easily tear requiring suture repair or absorbable mesh interposition.
I apply the TAR technique in two distict settings. First is in the setting of atypical hernias such as
34 Loss of Abdominal Domain: Defi nition and Treatment Strategies
367
Fig. 34.4 Demonstration of how a lower abdominal pan­niculectomy will expose the lateral abdominal wall facili­tating external oblique fascial release
fl ank, paramedian, subcostal, or subxyphoid her­nias. The TAR affords access to the preperitoneal lateral abdominal and subdiaphragmatic spaces for wide mesh overlap in these notoriously diffi cult hernias. Second, Novitsky’s technique is ideal in settings where skin fl ap creation would cause exces­sive wound complication risk to the patient. This may be an obese, smoking, diabetic patient under­going abdominal wall reconstruction, but without a need for a panniculectomy. These two patient situa­tions are common within my practice and, there­fore, the TAR technique has served as a powerful tool to help treat loss of domain hernias.
Mesh Location and Choice
In loss of domain situations, there are two main mesh characteristics that dictate mesh selection. The prosthetic needs to be both strong in tensile strength and large in size. Mesh choice for patients with loss of domain hernias runs coun-
ter to the current trends toward light-weight mesh. The large hernia size, in both length and width, mandates large-sized mesh to gain proper mesh overlap. This may even require quilting two or more large off-the-self meshes to accom­plish this task. If I sew mesh together, I use a #1 suture, that most mimics the mesh material (polypropylene, polyester, or gore-tex). Additionally, the increased vector forces of a loss of domain hernia mandate a mesh with high tensile strength. For loss of domain hernia repairs, I often choose a mid-weight, monofi la­ment, polypropylene or polyester mesh. This is particularly critical in obese patients, for whom I avoid light- weight or ultralight meshes all together. For intra-abdominal placement, the mesh must have a microporous layer against the viscera. For retro- rectus or pre-peritoneal placement, a non-barrier polypropylene or polyester mesh will suffi ce. For the rare onlay mesh, I trend toward using monofi lament poly­propylene. I have used ePTFE mesh in rare cases where I have intra-abdominal mesh place­ment over a stoma, during the Sugarbaker repairs. The marginal results reported with bio­logic and absorbable meshes have reduced their current use in cases of loss of domain hernia repair.
Drain Placement and Management
Drains in open abdominal wall reconstruction are a necessity and a nuisance to both the patient and the surgical care team. Drains require patient education about care and complications that can challenge the hygiene, aptitude, and coping skills of the patient and family. In loss of domain hernias, the number and location of the drains greatly depends on the reconstruction technique used. For the Ramirez technique, I place at least one drain subcutaneously for each skin fl ap raised. These drains stay until the drainage approaches zero. Figure 34.5 demonstrates the placement of subcutaneous fl ap drain. If the mesh is retro-rectus, I place a drain between the mesh and the rectus muscle, and this drain is removed prior to hospital discharge. I place no drain for
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Fig. 34.5 Placement of subcutaneous fl ap drain
G.J. Mancini and H.N. Le
intra-abdominal mesh, and the onlay mesh will be drained by the subcutaneous drains.
Preoperative Pneumoperitoneum
The main concern about repairing a hernia with a loss of domain is fi guring out if the fascia can be closed primarily. Preoperative progressive pneumoperitoneum has been described as a technique that could help increase abdominal wall compliance to aid fascial closure [ 5 ]. Like a tissue expander, progressive pneumoperito­neum may place a pressure load on the abdomi­nal wall to stretch the abdominal wall musculature. This is done over a 5–14-day pre­operative period by placing a tunneled catheter into the abdomen and adding a volume of air each day as the patient tolerates. I have not been an advocate of this technique for the fol­lowing reasons. First, a 5–14-day hospital stay prior to abdominal wall reconstruction elevated the patient’s risk for wound infections, pulmo­nary complications, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolus. Second, in loss of domain patients, I believe the giant hernia sac is where the instilled air will decompress, applying little pressure to stretch the abdominal wall. Finally, the patient rarely tolerates the progressive instillation of air due to the sensation of being short of breath. Therefore, for me, progressive preoperative pneumoperitoneum is a method of
discouraging patients from undergoing repair of a loss of domain hernia.
Postoperative Care and Complications
Complications of repair are common and include respiratory compromise, ACS, and wound com­plications, in addition to the usual surgical complications.
ACS and Pulmonary Complications
As discussed earlier, repairing the cylinder can cause respiratory compromise and ACS. The abdominal contents are forced back into the abdominal cavity and this results in increased intra-abdominal tension with elevation of the dia­phragm. Component separation increases the size of the cylinder, allowing a decrease in intra- abdominal tension and prevention of ACS. Typical signs of ACS, including high peak pressures on the ventilator, a hard distended abdomen, increased bladder pressures, and decreased urine output, should alert the surgeon of the possible diagnosis [ promise can result in diffi culty with extubation immediately postoperatively and pneumonia due to the inability to cough and clear secretions well. Ventral hernia repair has been shown to increase
6 ]. Respiratory com-
34 Loss of Abdominal Domain: Defi nition and Treatment Strategies
369
intra- abdominal pressures that negatively impact pulmonary function [ 7 ]. Aggressive pulmo- nary toilet must be stressed perioperatively for optimal results.
Wound Complications
Wound complications are common in the short term, reaching up to 40%, and even higher in the obese population. This includes surgical site infections, seroma, hematoma, and skin fl ap necrosis. Surgical site infections can be mini­mized with appropriate preoperative antibiotics, sound surgical technique, and optimizing the patient preoperatively, as discussed above. Seroma or hematoma can develop due to the extensive fl ap dissection and the cavity left behind from repair. Most of those collections are sterile, usually do not require drainage, and resorb spontaneously. Suction drains can be useful, but if left too long can result in infection of the prosthesis. Skin fl ap necrosis causes much of the morbidity associated with the com­ponent separation repair. It is related to isch­emia of the skin fl aps after division of the perforators arising within the rectus sheath and supplying the anterior abdominal wall skin. Minimizing skin fl ap dissection may reduce rates of necrosis. Figure 34.6 demonstrates skin necrosis and wound infection after abdominal wall reconstruction.
Intestinal Complications
As most patients undergoing repair in the setting of a loss of domain usually require extensive adhesiolysis, they are at risk for postoperative obstruction and leak/fi stula. Careful tissue han­dling and meticulous dissection can reduce bowel injuries. It is also imperative to assure that all layers are satisfactorily re-approximated, as a breakdown of the posterior sheath with exposure of mesh can lead to recurrence of herniation or bowel erosion. Incomplete adhesiolysis may lead to unresolved obstruction with failure to progress in the postoperative period. It may ben-
Fig. 34.6 Skin necrosis and wound infection after skin abdominal wall reconstruction
efi t the patient to maximize all conservative treatments, as re- operation is almost prohibitive in these patients.
Summary
In summary, loss of domain hernias represent the highest complexity defects to repair. The impair­ment caused by this condition makes a hernia repair an important surgical option to help alleviate patient suffering. The complexity of the disease and the morbidity that accompanies the surgical risks places tremendous pressure on the surgeon to get it right. With proper patient selection, surgeon preparation, preoperative patient optimization, advanced hernia repair tech­niques, and solid general surgery postoperative care protocols, loss of domain hernias can be repaired with reasonable results. It is up to the surgeon, who wants to take care of this disease, to create and maintain a high- quality system to ensure good patient outcomes.
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References
1. Stokes IA, Gardner-Morse MG, Henry SM. Intra­abdominal pressure and abdominal wall muscular function: spinal unloading mechanism. Clin Biomech. 2010;25(9):859–66.
2. Frezza EE, Shebani KO, Robertson J, Wachtel MS. Morbid obesity causes chronic increase of intraabdominal pressure. Dig Dis Sci. 2007;52(4): 1038–41.
3. Ramirez OM, Ko MJ, Dellon AL. “Components sepa­ration” method for closure of abdominal wall defects: an anatomic and clinical study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1990;86:519–26.
4. Novitsky YW, Elliott HL, Orenstein SB, Rosen MJ. Transversus abdominis muscle release: a novel
approach to posterior component separation during complex abdominal wall reconstruction. Am J Surg. 2012;204(5):709–16.
5. Mcadory RS, Cobb WS, Carbonell AM. Progressive preoperative pneumoperitoneum for hernias with loss of domain. Am Surg. 2009;75(6):504–8.
6. Agnew SP, Small W, Wang E, Smith LJ, Hadad I, Dumanian GA. Prospective measurements of intra­abdominal volume and pulmonary function after repair of massive ventral hernias with the compo­nents separation technique. Ann Surg. 2010;251(5):981–8.
7. Gaidukov KM, Raibuzhis EN, Hussain A, Teterin AY, Smetkin AA, Kuzkov VV, Malbrain ML, Kirov MY. Effect of intra-abdominal pressure on respiratory function in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair. World J Crit Care Med. 2013;2(2):9–16.
Enterotomy During Hernia Repair: Prevention and Management
Brent D. Matthews
35
Challenges of Adhesiolysis
The most common risk factor for enterotomy is a previous laparotomy. The risk increases with subsequent laparotomies. In fact, patients with three or more previous laparotomies have a ten­fold increase in experiencing an enterotomy compared with patients with one or two previous laparotomies [ 1 ] (Fig. 35.1 ). An enterotomy alters the wound classifi cation from Clean (Class I) to Clean/Contaminated (Class II) or Contaminated (Class III). Higher rates of surgical site infection (SSI) are observed when progress­ing from clean to clean/contaminated to contami­nated wounds. The consequence of a wound and/ or mesh infection is a recurrence after ventral hernia repair [ 2 ]. Adjuncts placed at the time of surgery to minimize adhesiolysis-related compli­cations during subsequent surgery have been dis­appointing. In a clinical trial of loop ileostomy closure, sodium hyaluronate and carboxymethyl cellulose membrane (Seprafi lm ® , Genzyme Biosurgery, Framingham, MA, USA) signifi -
B. D. Matthews , M.D. (*) Surgery Care Division, Carolinas HealthCare System Medical Group, Department of Surgery , Carolinas Medical Center and University of North Carolina— Charlotte Campus , 1000 Blythe Boulevard, 2nd Floor Administrative Suites , Charlotte , NC 28203 , USA
brent.matthews@carolinashealthcare.org
e-mail:
cantly reduced postoperative adhesions at the site of application, but did not have an effect on the rate of enterotomy [ 3 ]. This was confi rmed in a Cochrane Analysis evaluating intraperitoneal prophylactic agents for preventing adhesions and adhesive intestinal obstruction after non­gynecological abdominal surgery [ 4 ].
The rate of enterotomy during abdominal sur­gery is perhaps underreported. A recent audit of operative notes revealed that only 1 in 7 enteroto­mies was dictated in the operative report [ 5 ]. This underreporting could also have a signifi cant infl uence on risk-adjusted outcomes as the accountability of value-based care becomes cen­tral to reimbursement. Risk factors for an enter­otomy in abdominal wall hernia patients have been well-documented. In a prospective study of 133 patients undergoing an abdominal wall her­nia repair, ten Broek et al. reported 33 enteroto­mies in 17 patients (12.8%) [ 6 ]. Predictors of enterotomy were adhesiolysis time, mesh in situ and hernia wider than 10 cm. An extended adhe­siolysis time and increasing ventral hernia size are likely surrogates of a more complex ventral hernia. The impact on patient outcomes in this study of an enterotomy was an increased inci­dence of sepsis, reinterventions, need for paren­teral nutrition, prolonged intensive care unit and hospital stay as well as increased medication cost. In another study over a 5-year period in 16 tertiary Veterans Affairs medical centers, Gray et al. reported an overall incidence of 7.3% for an enterotomy or unplanned bowel resection during
Y.W. Novitsky (ed.), Hernia Surgery, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-27470-6_35
371© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
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Fig. 35.1 Relationship between the percentage of reoperation with and without enterotomy and the number of previous enterotomies. Reprinted from van der Krabben AA, Dijkstra FR, Nieuwenhuijzen M et al. (2000) Morbidity and mortality of inadvertent enterotomy during adhesiolysis. Br J Surg 87:467–71
B.D. Matthews
elective incisional hernia repair [ 7 ]. The inci- dence of enterotomy or unplanned bowel resec­tion was signifi cantly greater in patients after a previous mesh-based repair (20.3%) versus prior suture repair (5.7%) (Fig. 35.2 ). In a study more specifi cally defi ning the risk of enterotomy after mesh placement, Halm et al. reported a small bowel resection rate of 20.5% and a fi vefold increase in SSI as a consequence of reoperation after intraperitoneal polypropylene mesh [ 8 ]. A recent presentation at the 1st World Conference on Abdominal Wall Hernia Surgery in Milan, Italy, described the consequences of an inadver­tent enterotomy that occurred in 46 of 1842 patients who underwent open ventral hernia repair [ 9 ]. Risk factors for an enterotomy were previous abdominal surgery, prior hernia repair, mesh placement in a prior hernia repair and an infection present at the time of open ventral her­nia repair. A higher rate of wound infections, mesh infections (12-fold), and hernia recurrences (6-fold) were reported in the enterotomy group compared to patients not experiencing this event, even when controlling for the use of syn­thetic mesh in clean/contaminated and contami­nated wounds.
Absorbable and nonabsorbable barrier­coated meshes were designed for intraperitoneal placement during both laparoscopic and open ventral hernia repair in order to minimize vis­ceral adhesions to mesh. There is a paucity of
outcomes studies evaluating the effectiveness of these barriers in clinical trials. Jenkins et al. reported on 69 patients who underwent laparo­scopic surgery after prior intraperitoneal mesh placement for ventral hernia repair [ 10 ]. Characterization of adhesions and complexity of adhesiolysis were measured as adhesion tenacity, adhesion surface area percentage over the mesh, and the ratio of adhesiolysis time to mesh surface area. An enterotomy was avoided in all patients with intraperitoneal absorbable and nonabsorbable barrier-coated meshes. However, adhesion characteristics and the com­plexity of adhesiolysis appeared to be associ­ated with the unique properties of the barrier and/or mesh (Table 35.1 ). Two of 12 patients with intraperitoneal bare polypropylene mesh suffered injuries to the bladder and small intes­tine, respectively. Thus, the hollow viscus injury rate was similar to previously published studies. The study was underpowered to allow for defi n­itive conclusions, but provocative nonetheless. A multicentered, prospective clinical trial of comparative effectiveness of barrier-coated meshes ( Comparative Effectiveness Multicenter
Trial for Adhesion Characteristics of Ventral Hernia Repair Mesh , ClinicalTrials.gov
Identifi er: NCT01355939) is ongoing.
A survey to assess practices and opinions regarding incisional hernia repair queried sur­geons about enterotomy risk and management