title: Sublay prosthetic repair for incisional hernia of the flank.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A large hernia after flank incision for nephrectomy is a challenging problem in hernia surgery. In recent decades preperitoneal prosthetic herniorrhaphy became a widely accepted procedure for hernias of the abdominal wall. To evaluate the outcome of mesh hernia repair of the flank we reviewed our data on all patients who underwent preperitoneal mesh repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified 4 patients who underwent prosthesis repair after incisional hernia of the flank within the last 6 years. The primary reason for surgery was nephrectomy in 2 cases, pyeloplasty in 1 and complicated kidney cyst resection in 1. Mean followup time was 33 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a mean operative time +/- SD of 208 +/- 55 minutes the patients underwent incisional hernia repair with prosthesis implantation in the sublay position. In 3 patients an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch was used and in 1 polypropylene mesh was implanted. Mean prosthesis size was 25 x 38 cm. (950 +/- 300 cm. ). There were no postoperative complications. Patients were discharged from the hospital after a mean of 15 +/- 2 days. Followup revealed that none of the 4 patients with flank incision had recurrent hernia. Pain persisted in 3 patients after flank incision. However, no regular analgesic drug prescription was necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mesh repair for incisional flank hernia provides reinforcement of the hernia. However, the flank remains paralyzed with a muscle bulge and some patients have persistent discomfort.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, General Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steinbach
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Henke
authors.forename: Gunter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hellmich
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ludwig
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D021501:Flank Pain / Q000209:etiology; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011126:Polypropylenes; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013526:Surgical Mesh
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene