Parastomal Hernia: direct repair versus relocation: is stoma relocation worth the risk? A comparative meta-analysis...

Parastomal hernia is a prevalent and challenging complication in patients with stomas, frequently necessitating surgical intervention. The two primary approaches to parastomal hernia repair- direct repair without relocation and stoma relocation- offer distinct benefits and drawbacks. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of stoma relocation versus direct repair in managing parastomal hernia. Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving adult patients (≥ 18 years) with parastomal hernia who underwent either stoma relocation or direct repair, with a focus on clinically relevant outcomes. A comprehensive search of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted up to September 2024. Key short-term outcomes (operative time, surgical site infection, urinary tract infection, bowel obstruction, length of hospital stay, and overall complications) and long-term outcomes (re-admission, recurrence, re-operation, and mortality) were extracted. Statistical analysis included risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes. Six studies were included, encompassing both laparoscopic and open-surgical techniques. Direct repair was associated with a significantly shorter operative time (MD: 115 min, 95% CI: 95.71 to 134, P < 0.00001) and a reduced length of hospital stay (MD: 2 days, 95% CI: 0.40 to 3.9, P = 0.02). While reoperation rates were significantly lower in the relocation group (RR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.62, P = 0.009), other outcomes-including recurrence, re-admission, and overall complication rates-showed comparable results between the two approaches. Notably, there were no significant differences in surgical site infection, urinary tract infection, bowel obstruction, or mortality rates. Direct repair may be advantageous for reducing operative time and hospital stay, whereas stoma relocation appears beneficial in reducing reoperation rates. Future research should focus on developing standardized techniques and incorporating patient-specific factors to inform optimal surgical decision-making in parastomal hernia repair.