title: Prophylactic mesh can be used safely in the prevention of incisional hernia after bilateral subcostal laparotomies.
abstract: The use of prophylactic mesh to prevent incisional hernia is becoming increasingly common in midline laparotomies and colostomies. The incidence of incisional hernia after subcostal laparotomies is lower than after midline incisions. Nevertheless, the treatment of subcostal incisional hernia is considered to be more complex. Currently, there are no published data about mesh augmentation procedures to close these laparotomies.
  
  
  
  This was a longitudinal, prospective, cohort study of patients undergoing a bilateral subcostal laparotomy in elective operations. The mesh group was a group of patients operated consecutively between 2011 and 2013 with a prophylactic self-fixation mesh. The control group was selected from a retrospective analysis of patients operated between 2009 and 2010 and closed with a conventional protocol of 2-layer closure. The incidence of incisional hernia was recorded both clinically and radiologically for 2 years.
  
  
  
  A total of 57 patients were included in the control group and 58 in the mesh group. Most patients underwent gastric, hepatic, and pancreatic operations. Both groups were homogeneous in terms of their clinical and demographic characteristics. Operative time and hospital stay were similar in both groups. Both groups had a comparable rate of local and systemic complications. Ten patients (17.5%) in the control group developed an incisional hernia, and only 1 patient (1.7%) in the mesh group developed an incisional hernia (P = .0006).
  
  
  
  The incidence of incisional hernia after a conventional closure of bilateral subcostal laparotomy is significant. The use of a mesh augmentation procedure for closing bilateral subcostal laparotomies is safe and may reduce the incidence of incisional hernia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis Alberto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Blázquez Hernando
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: magurena@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: García-Ureña
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López-Monclús
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago García
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Álvaro Robín
authors.initials: ÁR
authors.lastname: Valle de Lersundi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Arturo Cruz
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cidoncha
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel Melero
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Infanta Elena University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Camilo Castellón
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pavón
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique González
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Henares University Hospital, Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Natividad Palencia
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D058107:Abdominal Wound Closure Techniques; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003964:Diaphragm; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D000069290:Incisional Hernia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013526:Surgical Mesh / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology