Traumatic ventral hernia: report of a case, with special reference to surgical treatment

A traumatic abdominal wall hernia is an unusual injury that may follow various types of blunt trauma. Differing patterns of muscular and fascial disruption can occur due to the different types of force involved as well as the tensile properties of the various areas in the abdominal wall. The anatomical defects which thus occur, therefore vary from small tears to large disruptions. A surgical repair is not always straightforward, and therefore close attention must be paid to such factors as the size and site of the defect, any associated intra-abdominal injuries, and the timing of repair, in order to achieve the best surgical repair. We consider the role of a computed tomography scan in the diagnosis of the muscular defects and associated injuries to be very important. Mesh repair offers an advantage in preventing recurrence in the presence of large defects, but strict criteria in their use must be followed, as the presence of hollow viscus injuries is an absolute contraindication to the use of mesh.