Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
05:47
Use of a Rat Model to Study Ventral Abdominal Hernia Repair
Published on: October 2, 2017
9.8K
Is there a link between physical function testing and ventral hernia size?
William Head1, Divyaam Satija1, Kiana Shannon1
1Department of Surgery, Center for Abdominal Core Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
Surgical Endoscopy
|September 29, 2025
Summary
Ventral hernia size did not correlate with physical function test scores in this study. Neither the Five Times Sit-to-Stand (5xSTS) nor the Timed Up & Go (TUG) tests showed significant associations with hernia width.
Area of Science:
- Surgical outcomes research
- Patient assessment methodologies
- Hernia repair evaluation
Background:
- Clinical physical function tests are crucial for assessing surgical candidacy and predicting outcomes.
- Ventral hernia size is a key factor in surgical planning and patient prognosis.
- Understanding the relationship between hernia characteristics and functional capacity is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between ventral hernia width and performance on standardized physical function tests.
- To determine if hernia size, categorized by European Hernia Society (EHS) classification, correlates with functional test outcomes.
- To evaluate the predictive value of physical function tests in relation to ventral hernia dimensions.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study utilizing data from the ABVENTURE-P randomized control trial.
- Pre-operative assessment of 112 patients using the Five Times Sit-to-Stand (5xSTS) and Timed Up & Go (TUG) tests.
- Measurement of hernia width during repair and statistical analysis using Spearman's rank correlation and one-way ANOVA based on EHS classifications.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between hernia width (mean 7 cm) and 5xSTS or TUG test scores when analyzed as a continuous variable.
- Analysis across European Hernia Society (EHS) classifications (W1, W2, W3) also revealed no significant correlation between hernia size and physical function test performance.
- Spearman's rho values for continuous hernia size analysis were 0.13 for both 5xSTS and TUG, with p-values > 0.08 for all analyses.
Conclusions:
- Physical function test scores, including 5xSTS and TUG, do not appear to correlate with ventral hernia size in this patient cohort.
- Hernia width, whether analyzed continuously or by EHS classification, did not demonstrate a significant association with patient functional capacity.
- Further research may be needed to identify other factors influencing physical function in patients with ventral hernias.
