Immediate, early, and late morbidity with laparoscopic ventral hernia repair and tolerance to composite mesh

The laparoscopic repair of ventral hernias is still a controversial therapeutic option, and little is known of its medium- and long-term morbidity. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the postoperative morbidity of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair and analyze the clinical factors that might be related to it. 86 consecutive patients who had ventral hernia and underwent endoscopic surgery in a Universitary teaching hospital. Epidemiological, clinical, postoperative complications, tolerance, aesthetic evaluation of the wall and recurrence rate are analyzed. The mean follow-up (100%) was 42 months (range: 1-5 years) and included clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation. The overall postoperative morbidity rate was 23.2%, with one case of mortality following a sepsis due to intestinal perforation; the rate of re-admissions and recurrences was 3.5%. Statistically significant relationships were shown between the complications and infra-umbilical location (P < 0.001), age over 60 years and female sex (P < 0.05). The dynamic ultrasound study showed 91% and 94% of the patients to be adhesion-free at 1 and 3 years respectively. Aesthetic assessment of the wall at 3 years showed persistent asymmetries in 5% of the patients and a 92% degree of personal satisfaction. The morbidity with laparoscopic ventral hernia repair is not negligible. The surgeon must know these complications and be able to treat them appropriately.