Feasibility of laparoscopic abdominal wall reconstruction in an outpatient community-hospital setting using cPTFE prosthetic mesh: a prospective, multicenter case series.

Unruh, Terry; Boachie, Joseph Adjei; Smith-Singares, Eduardo

Objective This study investigated the use of prosthetic condensed polytetrafluoroethylene (cPTFE) for laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) in an outpatient community-hospital setting. Methods Patients underwent LVHR with cPTFE at one of three community hospitals. Primary endpoint was hernia recurrence at 1-year postoperatively. Secondary endpoints included pain, surgical site infection, medical/surgical complications, and patient-reported outcomes. Results This study included 65 females and 52 males, aged 46.6 ± 13.2 years (mean ± SD; range 18-84 years). Mean prosthetic size was 413.8 ± 336.11 cm2 (range 165-936 cm2). Mean follow-up was 30 months (range 12-46 months). Hernia recurrence rate was 4.3%. Rate of hospitalization in the first postoperative week was 2.6%. Early and late secondary endpoint complication rates were 24.8% and 27.4%, respectively; pain was the most common complication, followed by seroma (8.5%). Conclusions Outpatient LVHR using cPTFE is feasible in community hospitals. Complication rates were similar to previous reports, and the seroma rate was markedly lower.