Adhesions After Laparoscopic IPOM-How Serious Is the Problem?

Although laparoscopic IPOM is still the gold standard in ventral hernia repair, it is subject of a slow but constant decline, while new minimally invasive techniques are increasingly used, as well as open retromuscular repairs. One of the reasons are the intraperitoneal mesh position and its suspected higher risk for creating intraabdominal adhesions, compared to extraperitoneal mesh positions. In potential subsequent operations (e.g., in recurrent ventral hernia repair) adhesions usually must be taken down, which is a known risk factor for complications such as inadvertent enterotomies, surgical site infections and prolonged hospital stay. In this review we evaluate the incidence of intraabdominal adhesions after ventral hernia repair and their potential impact on surgical outcome in subsequent operations. Special attention is paid to the impact of mesh position in developing adhesions.