[Abdominal wall hernias: epidemiology, economics and surgical technique--an overview]

Surgery of the abdominal wall is a chronically neglected field in general surgery. In fact subcutaneous wound infections and incisional hernias are the most frequent events while wound rupture and laparostomy are the most dangerous complications in abdominal surgery. Based on epidemiological data, a classification of adverse events for the abdominal wall is presented. The various currently used techniques for the treatment of incisional hernias are discussed. The described enormous economic consequences of surgical trauma to the abdominal wall alone are already a good reason to improve this kind of surgery in the near future.