Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Application of a New Mesh Fixation Method in Laparoscopic Incisional Hernia Repair
Published on: December 23, 2022
Umbilical hernia repair with mesh: identifying effectors of ideal outcomes
Paul D Colavita1, Igor Belyansky1, Amanda L Walters1
1Division of Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Carolinas Laparoscopic and Advanced Surgery Program, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA.
Background:
Quality of life has become an important focus for improvement in hernia repair.
Methods:
The International Hernia Mesh Registry was queried. The Carolinas Comfort Scale quantitated quality of life at 1-month, 6-month, and annual follow-up. Scores of 0 (completely asymptomatic) in all categories without recurrence defined an ideal outcome.
Results:
The analysis consisted of 363 umbilical hernia repairs; 18.7% were laparoscopic. Demographics included age of 51.5 ± 13.8 years, 24.5% were female, and the average body mass index was 30.63 ± 5.9 kg/m(2). Mean defect size was 4.3 ± 3.1 cm(2). Mean follow-up was 18.2 months. Absent/minimal preoperative symptoms were predictive of ideal outcome at all time points and increasing age was predictive at 6 months and 1 year. At 6 months, the use of fixation sutures alone versus tacks (odds ratio 14.1) predicted ideal outcome.
Conclusions:
Ideal outcomes are dependent on both patient-specific and operative factors. The durable, ideal outcome in umbilical hernia repair is most likely in an older, asymptomatic patient who undergoes mesh fixation with permanent suture.
