Hernioplasty for ventral hernias: correlation of wound morbidity with body mass index

To determine the correlation of wound morbidity especially serum drain output in on lay mesh hernioplasty with Body Mass Index (BMI). This prospective descriptive study was conducted at Hamdard University Hospital and Jamal Noor Hospital from January 2010 to December 2011. A total of 42 females with ventral hernias were included. According to BMI, patients were divided in two groups. Group 1(G-1) included patients with BMI ≤29.9 and Group 2(G-2) included patients with BMI ≥30. All patients underwent hernioplasty by conventional open method (on lay technique). Wound was closed over a vaccum drain (16 Fr). Total drain output, the number of days drain kept, clinical seroma formation & need of aspiration after removal of drain, discharge from the wound and wound infection were recorded and analyzed on SPSS version 15 by using sample 't' test. A total of 42 female patients, 21 in each group, were included with the mean age of 46.95 years. Size of hernial defect was 4.80cm in G-1 and 4.61cm in G-2. Mean drain out- put in G-1 was 134.05ml while in G-2 it was 244.29ml (p=0.008). Duration of drainage in G-1 was 3.71 days and in G-2 was 5.24 days (p=0.028). Seroma formation and serous discharge from the wound occurred in 2(4.76%) patients, both were from Group-1 and they required aspiration once only. Wound infection occurred in 4(9.52%) patients, and all were in Group 2. Post operative drain output in on lay mesh hernioplasty is directly proportional to the Body Mass Index (BMI) and these are the patients who require a longer period of drainage therefore this fact should be explained to obese patients in pre operative informed consent.