Incisional hernia: laparoscopic or open repair?

Stipa, Francesco; Giaccaglia, Valentina; Burza, Antonio; Santini, Ettore; Bascone, Bruno; Picchio, Marcello

PURPOSE To compare laparoscopic and open repair of incisional hernia in terms of complications and failure rates. METHODS Between June 2005 and April 2012, 252 patients underwent incisional hernia repair. Of these, 126 underwent laparoscopic and 126 open repair. The median follow-up was 38.7 months. RESULTS Baseline characteristics [age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, comorbidities, hernia size, and follow-up] did not differ significantly. Mean operative time was similar (72 vs. 83 min). Laparoscopic repair was associated with less postoperative pain, less postoperative complications (3.9% vs. 13.4%, P=0.012), and shorter hospital stay (3.5 vs. 4.3, P=0.002). Recurrence occurred in 6 patients of group 1 and in 7 patients of group 2 (4.7% vs. 5.5%, P=not significant). CONCLUSIONS In this study, the trend in favor of laparoscopic treatment for incisional hernias is remarkable. Fewer postoperative complications and shorter hospital stay with similar operative time may balance the higher costs associated with the technique.