title: Twelve years of experience treating Spigelian hernia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A Spigelian hernia (SH) is an acquired ventral hernia that most commonly occurs in the Spigelian belt. Patients may experience pain or a bulge in the abdominal area, but in most cases there are no symptoms. If left untreated the hernia may become strangulated, which could lead to bowel obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 28 surgical patients with SH between January 2002 and December 2013. We evaluated the incidence of complications, recurrences, and the length of hospital stay with comorbidities, body mass index, clinical presentation, and operative techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 28 patients included 10 males and 18 females, with a mean age of 67 years. Seven patients (26.9%) received emergency operations, and the remaining patients received elective operations. An "open-direct" operative approach was used in 16 cases and a laparoscopic approach in 12. The overall complication rate was 7.6% and the recurrence rate was 3.8% with a median follow-up of 3 years. The median hospital stay was 1 day (range, 1-7). Only the presence of local complications at diagnosis showed a significant impact on length of hospital stay. None of the considered variables had a significant impact on hernia recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No differences were noted among the operative techniques, wound infections, complications rate, and length of hospital stay. Laparoscopy seems to cause more early postoperative pain that reverses in about 2 weeks.
authors: Department of General Surgery, Monselice Hospital, Monselice, Italy. Electronic address: francescopolistina@hotmail.it.
authors: Francesco A
authors: FA
authors: Polistina
authors: School of Surgery, Padua University, Padua, Italy.
authors: Greta
authors: G
authors: Garbo
authors: Department of Surgery, Centro Oncologico Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Trevisan
authors: Department of General Surgery, Monselice Hospital, Monselice, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Frego
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence