[Reconstruction of complex abdominal wall defects using the component separation technique]

Reconstruction of complex abdominal wall defects is among the most demanding procedures in reconstructive surgery. Introduction of the method of component separation represents the most significant advance in the care of these patients. We present our experience with the component separation technique on a series of 44 patients.

We retrospectively reviewed patients operated on between 2009 and 2012. The inclusion criterion was the use of the component separation technique in the treatment of abdominal wall defect. The scoring criteria were recurrent hernia, wound hematoma, wound infection, skin necrosis and secondary healing.

We operated on 44 patients in the above period. The etiology of the defects was most frequently hernia in the scar after midline laparotomy (n = 29; 66%) and after incision across the epigastrium for total gastrectomy (n = 3; 7%). The other defects (n = 12; 27%) were caused by a wide diastasis of the abdominal rectus muscles (width 8-10 cm). The most common complication was a hematoma in the lateral part of the wound which occurred in 7 patients (16%). We did not detect any hernia recurrence in the original abdominal wall defects.

The method of components separation allows us to stitch the edges of the full-thickness abdominal wall to each other, even in cases of large hernias. The introduction of this technique into practice has reduced the risk of recurrence of large hernias without a significant increase in postoperative complications.