Flank Hernia Repair with Suture Anchor Mesh Fixation to the Iliac Crest

Traumatic or postsurgical flank hernias are complex and prone to recurrence, particularly at the border of the iliac crest. We reviewed our experience using suture anchors drilled into the iliac crest to fixate the mesh to bone. Our study of 10 repairs in eight patients was Institutional Review Board exempt. We obtained demographics, body mass index, diabetes, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) history, smoking status, steroid use, number of prior repairs, defect size, mesh size, number of anchors, and recurrence and infection at follow-up. We performed Kaplan-Meier analysis using a composite of recurrence or infection. Three of eight (interquartile range, 37.5%) patients were male. Median age and body mass index were 47.5 years (31.0, 54.7) and 32.2 (29.0, 36.0), respectively. Three patients had prior repairs, one each with two, three, and five prior attempts at fixation. One of eight patients (12.5%) had a history of MRSA infection. One of eight patients (12.5%) had a history of intermittent steroid use for sarcoidosis. Defect size was 90 cm2 (62.2, 165) and mesh size was 155 cm2 (150, 232) with four anchors (4, 5.5). Procedural complications included 2/10 (20%) with recurrence and 1/10 (10%) with postoperative MRSA infection. Follow-up was 12 months (3.0, 25.0). Mean freedom from recurrence and mesh infection (Kaplan-Meier) was 43.5 months (95%confidence interval = 24.2, 62.8). In conclusion, our series is one of the largest in the literature involving the suture anchor technique. Despite a high-risk patient population due to trauma, obesity, and prior smoking and MRSA history, we achieved an acceptable recurrence rate. Further study may benefit from a randomized trial design.