Evaluation of the Sublay Mesh Repair Outcomes in Different Types of Ventral Hernia

Ventral hernia repair is one of the challenging surgical operations over time. Several surgical techniques for mesh repair have been described (onlay, inlay, sublay, and underlay repairs). It is suggested that sublay mesh repair has the lowest recurrence and surgical site infection in open anterior abdominal hernia repair. This study aimed to analyze the pros and cons of the sublay mesh in ventral hernia repair to evaluate the significance of this technique as a treatment modality. Hospital stay, acute postoperative complications, and the recurrence rate were the main areas of investigation.

A retrospective study on 79 patients with ventral hernias who were operated on with sublay mesh repair between January 2015 and December 2018 was conducted. Patients were admitted through the elective route. The study included fit patients with first-time ventral hernias (primary and incisional). Recurrent hernia, patients with decompensated cardiopulmonary disorders, and bleeding disorders were excluded from the project. The project pro forma includes patient's demographics, operative details, length of stay, postoperative complications, and follow-up up to 12 months.

All patients underwent open mesh repair using the sublay technique. The ventral hernia was five times more common in females than males. The mean age of presentation was 44.8 years old. The mean operating time was 67 minutes and a one-day hospital stay. Paraumblical and incisional hernias represented the majority of cases. The component separation approach was added in three cases (3.7%). Simultaneous cholecystectomy was performed in two cases (2.5%). Only six cases (6.3%) developed wound-related complications, while two cases (2.5%) had a recurrence.

The sublay mesh repair is a perfect choice for the repair of ventral abdominal hernia. It is associated with a smooth and short hospital stay and the least incidence of complications and recurrence.