Prevention of incisional hernia development

Despite many advances in the field of surgery and surgical technique, the formation of hernias following abdominal wall incisions continues to be a perplexing and prevalent problem. Recently, much of the attention on hernias has been placed on surgical management. This has led to many different surgical options for repair of routine and complex hernias. Less emphasis, however, has been placed on prevention despite its obvious importance. The formations of incisional hernias are multifactorial and are influenced by many patient and technical factors. This review discusses the various factors contributing to incisional hernia development, prevention strategies, education, and future directions in approaches to hernia prevention.