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Updated: Aug 20, 2025
Application of a New Mesh Fixation Method in Laparoscopic Incisional Hernia Repair
Published on: December 23, 2022
Mesh migration following abdominal hernia repair: A case report, and literature review
Ali Jangjoo1, Mohammad Ebrahim Kalantari2, Tooraj Zandbaf3
1Department of General Surgery, Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Background:
Postoperative hematoma and seroma, foreign body reaction, infection, mesh rejection, and fistula formation are the complications associated with the use of surgical mesh. Mesh migration is a rare but serious and challenging complication after hernia repair. When this happens, infection, abscess, fistula, and bowel obstruction are the most common sequelae.
Case Presentation:
Our patient was a 62-year-old woman with a history of appendectomy 30 years ago and then underwent 3 incisional hernia repair surgeries which the last one was 5 years ago using laparoscopic IPOM. The patient was nominated for surgery with a diagnosis of recurrent incisional hernia. The patient underwent laparotomy and after enterolysis, a small bowel loop was seen that adhered to McBurney's region, which was released. There was a mass inside the small bowel. Resection and anastomosis of the involved intestine were performed. After enterotomy, it was determined that this mass was the mesh used in the previous surgery.
Conclusion:
Mesh migration is a rare consequence of incisional hernia repair with a prosthetic mesh. It can happen years after a hernia repair and it is additionally crucial to consider as a differential diagnosis in all patients who show unusual symptoms or abdominal pain.
Insights
Surgical mesh can migrate years after hernia repair, causing serious complications like bowel obstruction. This rare event requires considering mesh migration in patients with unusual abdominal symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Abdominal Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Surgical mesh is used for hernia repair but can lead to complications such as infection, fistula, and mesh rejection.
- Mesh migration is a rare but severe complication following hernia repair, potentially causing abscesses, fistulas, and bowel obstruction.
Observation:
- A 62-year-old woman with a history of multiple incisional hernia repairs presented with recurrent symptoms.
- During surgery for recurrent incisional hernia, a mass was discovered within the small bowel, identified as the previously implanted surgical mesh.
Findings:
- The case highlights mesh migration as a critical, albeit infrequent, complication of incisional hernia repair.
- Intra-abdominal mesh migration can lead to significant gastrointestinal sequelae, necessitating surgical intervention.
Implications:
- Mesh migration should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with unexplained abdominal pain or symptoms years after hernia repair.
- Awareness of this complication is crucial for surgeons to ensure timely diagnosis and management, improving patient outcomes after hernia repair surgery.
