Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2025
05:15
Application of a New Mesh Fixation Method in Laparoscopic Incisional Hernia Repair
Published on: December 23, 2022
6.8K
Are drains useful in eTEP ventral hernia repairs? An AWR surgical collaborative (AWRSC) retrospective study
Eham Arora1, Ankit Mishra2, Rahul Mhaskar3
1Department of General Surgery, Grant Medical College & Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, 6th Floor, Main Hospital Building, Sir JJ Hospital Campus, Byculla, Mumbai, 400008, India. ehamarora@gmail.com.
Surgical Endoscopy
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Surgical drains in minimally invasive ventral hernia repair (eTEP) did not reduce surgical site infections or occurrences. However, drains were linked to longer hospital stays and increased need for intervention for certain complications.
Area of Science:
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Abdominal Wall Reconstruction
- Hernia Repair
Background:
- Current drain practices in minimally invasive retromuscular ventral hernia repair lack thorough review.
- The study aims to evaluate the necessity and impact of surgical drains in these procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the role of surgical drains in enhanced-view totally extraperitoneal (eTEP) ventral hernia repairs.
- To compare outcomes between patients with and without surgical drains.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of the Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Surgical Collaborative (AWRSC) registry.
- Inclusion of patients who underwent eTEP repair between February 2016 and September 2019.
- Propensity score matching to compare outcomes (SSIs, SSOs, recurrence) in patients with and without drains at 180 days.
Main Results:
- After matching, 48 patients had drains and 72 did not.
- No significant difference in surgical site infections (SSIs) or surgical site occurrences (SSOs).
- Patients with drains experienced longer hospital stays, higher rates of SSO needing procedural intervention (SSOPI), and increased recurrence risk.
Conclusions:
- Surgical drains in clean eTEP ventral hernia repairs are common but associated with adverse outcomes.
- Drains did not prevent SSIs or SSOs but were linked to increased SSOPI and recurrence.
- The protective role of drains in eTEP repairs warrants further investigation.
