Emergency treatment of complicated incisional hernias: a case study.
BACKGROUND
The emergency treatment of incisional hernias is infrequent but it can be complicated with strangulation or obstruction and in some cases the surgical approach may also include an intestinal resection with the possibility of peritoneal contamination. Our study aims at reporting our experience in the emergency treatment of complicated incisional hernias.


METHODS
Since January 1999 till July 2008, 89 patients (55 males and 34 females) were treated for complicated incisional hernias in emergency. The patients were divided in two groups: Group I consisting of 33 patients that were treated with prosthesis apposition and Group II, consisting of 56 patients that were treated by performing a direct abdominal wall muscles suture.


RESULTS
All the patients underwent a 6-month follow up; we noticed 9 recurrences (9/56, 16%) in the patients treated with direct abdominal wall muscles suture and 1 recurrence (1/33, 3%) in the group of patients treated with the prosthesis apposition.


CONCLUSIONS
According to our experience, the emergency treatment of complicated incisional hernias through prosthesis apposition is always feasible and ensures less post-operative complications (16% vs 21,2%) and recurrences (3% vs 16%) compared to the patients treated with direct muscular suture.
La Mura
Francesco
F
General Surgical Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni (TR), University of Perugia, Italy. doctorfrank81@hotmail.it
Cirocchi
Roberto
R
Farinella
Eriberto
E
Morelli
Umberto
U
Napolitano
Vincenzo
V
Cattorini
Lorenzo
L
Spizzirri
Alessandro
A
Rossetti
Barbara
B
Delmonaco
Pamela
P
Migliaccio
Carla
C
Milani
Diego
D
Covarelli
Piero
P
Boselli
Carlo
C
Noya
Giuseppe
G
Sciannameo
Francesco
F