title: Totally endoscopic surgery on diastasis recti associated with midline hernias. The advantages of a minimally invasive approach. Prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate prospectively the feasibility and the duration of the plication of both aponeurosis through a totally endoscopic approach to the diastasis recti associated with midline hernias, correcting both pathologies simultaneously and objectively looking at their advantages and complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective cohort study included patients suffering from midline hernias equal to or bigger than 2 cm size and associated diastasis recti, from April 2011 to October 2012. Full endoscopic subcutaneous approach is used to perform the surgery. An ultrasound scan was carried out to identify inter-rectus distances and recurrences in xiphoid, 3 cm supraumbilical and 2 cm subumbilical locations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 21 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 20 months. The main complication was seroma. A significant reduction in the average distance between the rectus muscles was shown before surgery and at 1 month postoperative measures in all three locations (p < 0.001). No significant differences between the measured distances to the first and second year. A significant improvement at first postoperative year in cosmetic outcome compared with preoperative cosmetic condition (p < 0.001) was confirmed. Back pain improves significantly when diastasis recti is surgically corrected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Totally endoscopic approach to diastasis recti associated with midline hernias is a feasible and reproducible method. It brings considerable esthetic advantages. Diastasis or hernia recurrences in medium term follow-up have not been observed. Diastasis greater than 6-7 cm or associated with severe musculoaponeurotic laxity of the abdominal wall could benefit from the use of reinforced prosthesis.
authors.affiliation: Abdominal Surgery Department, Riotinto Hospital, Avda. la Esquila nº 6, Minas de Riotinto, 21660, Huelva, Spain, j_bellido_l@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bellido Luque
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellido Luque
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valdivia
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Suarez Gráu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gomez Menchero
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García Moreno
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guadalajara Jurado
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004724:Endoscopy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000601:surgery*; D013526:Surgical Mesh