Intramuscular Adipose Tissue Content as a Predictor of Incisional Hernia after Hepatic Resection

Incisional hernia (IH) is a common surgical complication, with an incidence of 6-31% following major abdominal surgery. This study aimed to investigate the impact of intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC) on the incidence of IH in patients who underwent hepatic resection.

Data of 205 patients who underwent open hepatic resection between 2007 and 2019 at Ehime University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patient characteristics, perioperative findings, and body composition were compared between patients with IH and those without IH. The quantity and quality of skeletal muscle, calculated as skeletal muscle index and IMAC, were evaluated using preoperative computerized tomography images.

Forty (19.5%) patients were diagnosed with IH. The cumulative incidence rates were 15.6% at 1 year and 19.6% at 3 years. On univariate analysis, body mass index, areas of subcutaneous and visceral fat, and IMAC were significantly higher in the IH group than in the non-IH group (p = 0.0023, 0.0070, 0.0047, and 0.0080, respectively). No significant difference in skeletal muscle index was found between the groups (p = 0.3548). The incidence of diabetes mellitus, intraoperative transfusion, and postoperative wound infection was significantly higher in the IH group than in the non-IH group (p = 0.0361, 0.0078, and 0.0299, respectively). On multivariate analysis, a high IMAC and wound infection were independent risk factors for IH (adjusted odds ratio, 2.83 and 4.52, respectively; p = 0.0152 and 0.0164, respectively).

IMAC can predict the incidence of IH in patients undergoing hepatic resection.