The lateral paramedian: revisiting a forgotten incision

Kenneth Hughes1, Niazy M Selim

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA.

The American Surgeon
|April 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Incisional hernias are a common surgical complication. This discussion highlights the paramedian incision as a potentially better option to reduce incisional hernia rates compared to the more common midline incision.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical complications
  • Abdominal surgery outcomes
  • Hernia research

Background:

  • Incisional hernia is a frequent complication following abdominal surgery.
  • Current treatment strategies lack universal consensus.
  • Midline incisions have a high incidence of incisional hernias (up to 15%).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the paramedian incision for abdominal surgery.
  • To explore the potential of the paramedian incision in reducing incisional hernia incidence.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and discussion of surgical incision techniques.
  • Comparative analysis of hernia rates between midline and paramedian incisions.

Main Results:

  • The paramedian incision is associated with a lower incidence of incisional hernias.
  • The midline incision is linked to a significant rate of incisional hernias.

Conclusions:

  • The paramedian incision warrants consideration to decrease incisional hernia rates.
  • Further investigation into paramedian incision benefits is recommended for surgical practice.

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