Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair

Excerpt

I read with interest the experience from the Cleveland Clinic with laparoscopic ventral hernia repair [2]. They reported a 17% recurrence at a mean follow-up period of 30 months and emphasized the importance of long-term follow-up evaluation. I am not surprised by their high recurrence rate. In a prospective randomized study of open mesh ventral hernia repair, the 3-year recurrence was 24% [1]. The patients had an underlay polypropylene mesh placed so that at least 2 to 4 cm of mesh overlapped the edge of the fascia. This is very similar to the overlap recommended for laparoscopic repair [2]. It is only logical that the recurrence rates will be similar. …