title: Laparoscopic cure of small ventral hernias with composite mesh.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of mesh is recommended to reduce the rate of recurrence after the curing of ventral hernias.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre prospective trial was conducted to assess the laparoscopic cure of small ventral hernias with a composite mesh.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Around 222 patients entered the trial and received laparoscopic repair for ventral hernias of less than 5 cm. There was one conversion. The mean length of post-operative hospitalisation was 2.5 days. At 1 year, the recurrence rate was 2%. Two meshes were removed due to infection, 3% of the patients were using analgesics and 86.1% of the patients described no pain on EVA scoring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The laparoscopic cure of small ventral hernias with composite mesh is efficient. Further technical progress is warranted to reduce the rate of seroma formation.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Générale et Digestive, Hôpital Bichat, 46 Rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France. hubert.johanet@bch.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johanet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dabrowski
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hauters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D049291:Seroma / Q000517:prevention & control; D013526:Surgical Mesh