title: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair in obese patients under spinal anesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair under spinal anesthesia in obese patients (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)).
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2007 to February 2010, 23 obese patients had their elective laparoscopic ventral hernia repair under spinal anesthesia. We looked primarily for intra-operative incidences as well as immediate postoperative complications. Long term results and especially recurrences were also to be evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median operative time was 55 min (range 20-100). Intraoperatively, six patients (26%) complained of shoulder pain, three patients (13%) developed bradycardia and two (8.7%) hypotension. Postoperatively, nausea and/or vomiting were recorded in four patients (17.4%), four patients (17.4%) experienced urinary retention and one patient developed wound infection. Median pain score at 4th, 8th and 24th postoperative hour was 0.5 (0-5), 1.5 (0-6), and 1.5 (0-5) respectively. The median length of hospital stay was one day (1-2). At a median follow up of 39 months, one patient was diagnosed with a recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal anesthesia for LVHR in obese patients (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)) proved an efficient and safe alternative to general anesthesia in the given patient sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Biopolis, Larissa, Greece. Electronic address: simeonid@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Symeonidis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baloyiannis
authors.forename: Stavroula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgopoulou
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koukoulis
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tzovaras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000379:methods*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair; Long term results; Obesity; Recurrences; Spinal anesthesia