Nationwide study of early outcomes after incisional hernia repair.
BACKGROUND
There are no nationwide studies on early outcomes after incisional hernia repair.


METHODS
This study included all patients aged 18 years or more who had surgery for incisional hernia in Denmark between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2006, and analysed clinical outcomes within 30 days of surgery. Patients having acute operations and those whose hernia repair was secondary to other procedures were excluded.


RESULTS
Of a total of 2896 incisional hernia repairs (1872 open, 1024 laparoscopic), 2754 (95.1 per cent) were for primary hernia and 142 (4.9 per cent) for recurrence. The median hospital stay was 1 (range 0-88) day (open, 1 day; laparoscopic, 2 days); 10.0 per cent stayed for more than 6 days. Some 11.2 per cent of patients were readmitted (open, 10.1 per cent; laparoscopic, 13.1 per cent). Major complications were observed in 3.5 per cent (open, 2.8 per cent; laparoscopic, 4.8 per cent) with a total morbidity rate of 10.7 per cent (open, 10.1 per cent; laparoscopic, 11.8 per cent). The mortality rate was 0.4 per cent (open, 0.2 per cent; laparoscopic, 0.7 per cent). Morbidity and mortality were not related to surgical volume.


CONCLUSIONS
Outcomes after incisional hernia repair seem unsatisfactory.
Bisgaard
T
T
Danish Hernia Database, Køge Hospital, Køge, Denmark. thuebisgaard@tdcadsl.dk
Kehlet
H
H
Bay-Nielsen
M B
MB
Iversen
M G
MG
Wara
P
P
Rosenberg
J
J
Friis-Andersen
H F
HF
Jorgensen
L N
LN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013531:Surgicenters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult