Hernia recurrence postconcurrent hernia repair and metabolic and bariatric surgery versus ventral hernia repair alone

In patients with obesity and ventral hernias, there is growing interest in combining ventral hernia repair with metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) as a concurrent procedure. This reduces anesthetic exposures and decreases costs associated with separate surgeries.

This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of concurrent ventral hernia repair and MBS compared to ventral hernia repair alone.

University Hospital.

A single-center, retrospective study was conducted on 174 patients treated with either ventral hernia repair alone or concurrent ventral hernia repair with MBS from January 2016 to December 2023. There was no loss to follow-up. A propensity-score matched analysis was performed, and 6 characteristics were selected as covariates (age, gender, race, preoperative body mass index, hernia defect size, smoking history and diabetic status). Separate univariate analyses were conducted to determine if outcomes differed by surgical approach.

Treated patients undergoing concurrent surgery were less likely to experience hernia recurrence (OR = .114, 95% CI .062-.21, P < .001) compared to those receiving hernia repair alone. They also had a lower likelihood of complications such as seromas and stitch granulomas (OR = .362, 95% CI .167-.783, P = .01).

Concurrent ventral hernia repair with MBS is a safe and effective option for patients with obesity and ventral hernias. It demonstrates comparable rate of short-term perioperative complications and offers long-term advantages, including reduced rates of hernia recurrence.