title: Medical talc increases the incidence of seroma formation following onlay repair of major abdominal wall hernias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Seroma is a well established complication of the repair of major abdominal wall hernias, occasionally requiring aspiration and reoperation. Medical talc seromadesis (MTS) has been described in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of MTS on seroma formation after onlay repair of incisional hernia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of a prospective database was conducted for 5 months from April 2011, when 21 consecutive patients received MTS. Outcomes were compared with a published and validated series from the same unit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in basic demographics and co-morbidities between the two groups. The mean BMI was 34 for the MTS group. The incidence of recurrent incisional hernia prior to surgery was greater in MTS (9/21 vs. 36/116, p = 0.39). The mean area of fascial defect measured intra-operatively and mesh used to cover the incisional hernia defect was 170 and 309 cm(2) for the MTS group. The mean operating time was 152 min and a mean of 10 g of medical talc was used for seromadesis. The seroma rate increased from 11/116 (9.5 %) to 16/21 (76 %) (p = 0.001) as did the rate of superficial wound infection 10/116 (8.6 %) to 9/21 (43 %) (p = 0.03) in the MTS group. There was no difference in the length of in-hospital stay between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of medical talc increased the rate of seroma formation and superficial wound infection in patients undergoing open 'onlay' repair of major abdominal wall hernia.
authors: Department of Upper GI Surgery, The Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, ME16 9QQ, UK. drrajeev_p@yahoo.com
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Parameswaran
authors: S T
authors: ST
authors: Hornby
authors: A N
authors: AN
authors: Kingsnorth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D049291:Seroma / Q000209:etiology*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013627:Talc / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D013627:Talc
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