[Surgery of large ventral hernias. Personal experience in 1990-1997]

The surgical treatment of large wall defects conventionally defined as an extension over 10 cm is discussed. The difficulty to contain the bowels that have lost law of domicile in the abdominal hollow, constitutes motive for notable increase of the endo-abdominal Pressure with serious consequences in the postoperative course and this leads to the use of prothesis meshes that allow the closing of the abdominal hollow with the Tension-Free technique.

Personal experience embraces 45 patients, with large wall defects, divided into 21 patients with overumbilical location, 14 with umbilical location, 10 with periumbelical location; a simple suture has been used in 7 cases, the reconstruction of the wall according to Stoppa in 36 cases and the apposition of Goretex net internally and Marlex net externally in 2 cases.

There have been neither mortality, neither recidivists of illness, but only some complications: 9 cases of superficial infection, 1 case of intestinal occlusion and 2 of subcutaneous seroma.

According to their experience and wide literature review, the authors draw some conclusions: an accurate toilet and a careful evaluation of the respiratory functionality are fundamental; it's necessary to postpone surgical intervention in presence of local inflammation and, where this is improrogable it's opportune to avoid the use of prothesis meshes or refold on readsorbible prothesis; special care must be taken to the hemostasis and an aspirative drain for 24-48 hrs preserves from the risk of postoperative hematomas and following local infections. The submuscular mesh permits a Tension-Free suture and for this reason it would have nowdays a more extensive use. Finally it's pointed out the choice of a PTFEe mesh in contact with the intestinal skein.