title: Impact of incisional hernia on health-related quality of life and body image: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the impact of incisional hernia (IH) on quality of life and body image.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open abdominal surgery patients were included in a prospective cohort study performed between 2007 and 2009 in an academic hospital. Main outcomes were incidence of IH after approximately 12 months and Short-Form 36 and body image questionnaire results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 374 patients who were examined after a median follow-up period of 16 months (range, 10-24 mo). Seventy-five patients had developed IH (20%); 63 (84%) were symptomatic. Adjusted for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score, patients with IH reported significantly lower mean scores for components physical functioning (P = .033), role physical (P = .002), and physical component summary (P = .010). A trend toward significance was found for general health (P = .061). Patients with IH reported significantly lower mean cosmetic scores (P = .002), and body image and total body image scores (both P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with IH reported lower mean scores on physical components of health-related quality of life and body image.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Room Ff-219, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. g.vanramshorst@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Gabrielle H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: van Ramshorst
authors.forename: Hasan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Eker
authors.forename: Wim C J
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeekel
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000150:complications