Iatrogenic enterotomy in laparoscopic ventral/incisional hernia repair: a single center experience of 2,346 patients over 17 years

Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair

The laparoscopic approach to ventral hernia repair is a safe and effective approach for both elective and emergent repair. The preoperative technical considerations include assessment of incarceration and potential for extensive adhesiolysis, size of defect, and atypical hernia locations. Preoperative considerations include weight loss and lifestyle modification. There are multiple methods of fascial defect closure and mesh fixation that the surgeon may consider via a laparoscopic approach, making it adaptable to varying clinical scenarios and anatomic challenges. Compared with open repair laparoscopic repair is associated with reduced surgical wound site infection, and compared with robotic repair outcomes are similar.

The incidence and impact of enterotomy during laparoscopic and robotic ventral hernia repair: a nationwide readmissions analysis

INTRODUCTION

Our aim was to define the national incidence of enterotomy (ENT) during minimally invasive ventral hernia repair (MIS-VHR) and evaluate impact on short-term outcomes.

METHODS

The 2016-2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried using ICD-10 codes for MIS-VHR and enterotomy. All patients had 3-months follow-up. Patients were stratified by elective status; patients without ENT (No-ENT) were compared against ENT patients.

RESULTS

In total, 30,025 patients underwent LVHR and ENT occurred in 388 (1.3%) patients; 19,188 (63.9%) cases were elective including 244 elective-ENT patients. Incidence was similar between elective versus non-elective cohorts (1.27% vs 1.33%; p = 0.674). Compared to laparoscopy, ENT was more common during robotic procedures (1.2% vs 1.7%; p = 0.004). Comparison of elective-No-ENT vs elective-ENT showed that elective-ENT patients had a longer median LOS (2 vs 5 days; p < 0.001), higher mean hospital cost ($51,656 vs $76,466; p < 0.001), increased rates of mortality (0.3% vs 2.9%; p < 0.001), and higher 3-month readmission (10.1% vs 13.9%; p = 0.048). Non-elective cohort comparison demonstrated non-elective-ENT patients had a longer median LOS (4 vs 7 days; p < 0.001), higher mean hospital cost ($58,379 vs $87,850; p < 0.001), increased rates of mortality (0.7% vs 2.1%;p < 0.001), and higher 3-month readmission (13.6% vs 22.2%; p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 95% CI), higher odds of enterotomy were associated with robotic-assisted procedures (1.386, 1.095-1.754; p = 0.007) and older age (1.014, 1.004-1.024; p = 0.006). Lower odds of ENT were associated with BMI > 25 kg/m² (0.784, 0.624-0.984; p = 0.036) and metropolitan teaching vs metropolitan non-teaching (0.784, 0.622-0.987; p = 0.044). ENT patients (n = 388) were more likely to be readmitted with post-operative infection (1.9% vs 4.1%; p = 0.002) or bowel obstruction (1.0% vs 5.2%;p < 0.001) and more likely to undergo reoperation for intestinal adhesions (0.3% vs 1.0%; p = 0.036).

CONCLUSION

Inadvertent ENT occurred in 1.3% of MIS-VHRs, had similar rates between elective and urgent cases, but was more common for robotic procedures. ENT patients had a longer LOS, and increased cost and infection, readmission, re-operation and mortality rates.

Laparoscopic Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh (IPOM): Short- and Long-Term Results in a Single Center

The laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh repair (IPOM) approach has become the most widely adopted technique in the last decade. The role of laparoscopic IPOM in the last years has been resizing due to several limitations. The aim of the present study is to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes in patients who underwent laparoscopic IPOM. This retrospective single-center study describes 170 patients who underwent laparoscopic IPOM for ventral hernia at the General Surgery Unit of Parma University Hospital from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020. We evaluated patient, hernia, surgical and postoperative characteristics. According to the defect size, we divided the patients into Group 1 (Ø < 30 mm), Group 2 (30 < Ø < 50 mm) and Group 3 (Ø > 50 mm). A total of 167 patients were included. The mean defect diameter was 41.1 ± 16.3 mm. The mean operative time was different among the three groups (p < 0.001). Higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, obesity and incisional hernia were related to postoperative seroma and obesity alone with SSO. p < 0.001 Recurrence was significantly higher in larger defects (Group 3) and incisional hernia. p < 0.001. This retrospective study suggests that laparoscopic IPOM is a feasible and safe surgical technique with an acceptable complication rate, especially in the treatment of smaller defects up to 5 cm.

Comparison of two fascial defect closure methods for laparoscopic incisional hernia repair

PURPOSE

Currently there is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical approach to an incisional hernia measuring less than 10 cm. Certain hernia features including defect size, intra-abdominal adhesions, and overlying scar/skin properties contribute to choosing an open versus a laparoscopic approach. This retrospective cohort study was designed to compare incisional hernia defects repaired with laparoscopic suture closure to a hybrid approach with open defect closure, both with laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) reinforcement.

METHODS

We identified 164 consecutive patients who underwent incisional hernia repair from two centers, North York General Hospital (NYGH) and Humber River Hospital (HRH) between 2015 and 2020. Patients were grouped by totally laparoscopic or hybrid fascial closure. Both techniques included laparoscopically placed intra-peritoneal mesh with 5 cm of overlap in all directions. Patients were analyzed by age, sex, body mass index (BMI), ASA class and hernia size. Primary outcomes included surgical site infection (SSI), other wound complications including seroma/hematoma, length of hospital stay, pain reported at follow-up appointment, and hernia recurrence.

RESULTS

Post-operative pain, surgical site infections and seromas did not differ between the totally laparoscopic and hybrid approach. The recurrence rates were 5.8% and 6.8% for the laparoscopic and hybrid group, respectively, which were not significantly different. The time to recurrence was 15 months (range 8-12) in the laparoscopic group and 7 months (range 6-36) in the hybrid group, also not significantly different. The hernia defect size and BMI were significantly higher in the hybrid group, without increased wound complications.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that a hybrid approach to incisional ventral hernia repair with open defect closure is comparable to a totally laparoscopic closure. The hybrid technique can help facilitate fascial closure and resection of the hernia sac in patients with higher BMI and hernia defects up to 6 cm.

General Surgery: Management of Postoperative Complications Following Ventral Hernia Repair and Inguinal Hernia Repair

Ventral and inguinal hernia repairs are some of the most commonly performed general surgery operations worldwide. This review focuses on the management of postoperative complications, which include surgical site infection, hernia recurrence, postoperative pain, and mesh-related issues. In each section, we aim to discuss classifications, risk factors, diagnostic modalities, and treatment options for common complications following hernia repair.

Detection of adverse events leading to inadvertent injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy using convolutional neural networks

Uncontrolled movements of laparoscopic instruments can lead to inadvertent injury of adjacent structures. The risk becomes evident when the dissecting instrument is located outside the field of view of the laparoscopic camera. Technical solutions to ensure patient safety are appreciated. The present work evaluated the feasibility of an automated binary classification of laparoscopic image data using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to determine whether the dissecting instrument is located within the laparoscopic image section. A unique record of images was generated from six laparoscopic cholecystectomies in a surgical training environment to configure and train the CNN. By using a temporary version of the neural network, the annotation of the training image files could be automated and accelerated. A combination of oversampling and selective data augmentation was used to enlarge the fully labeled image data set and prevent loss of accuracy due to imbalanced class volumes. Subsequently the same approach was applied to the comprehensive, fully annotated Cholec80 database. The described process led to the generation of extensive and balanced training image data sets. The performance of the CNN-based binary classifiers was evaluated on separate test records from both databases. On our recorded data, an accuracy of 0.88 with regard to the safety-relevant classification was achieved. The subsequent evaluation on the Cholec80 data set yielded an accuracy of 0.84. The presented results demonstrate the feasibility of a binary classification of laparoscopic image data for the detection of adverse events in a surgical training environment using a specifically configured CNN architecture.

Management of complex ventral hernias: results of an international survey

Background

The surgical treatment of patients with complex ventral hernias is challenging. The aim of this study was to present an international overview of expert opinions on current practice.

Methods

A survey questionnaire was designed to investigate preoperative risk management, surgical approach and mesh choice in patients undergoing complex hernias repair, and treatment strategies for infected meshes. Geographical location of practice, experience and annual volumes of the surgeons were compared.

Results

Of 408 surgeons, 234 (57.4 per cent) were practising in the USA, 116 (28.4 per cent) in Europe, and 58 (14.2 per cent) in other countries. Some 412 of 418 surgeons (98.6 per cent) performed open repair and 322 of 416 (77.4 per cent) performed laparoscopic repair. Most recommended preoperative work-up/lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation (319 of 398, 80.2 per cent) and weight loss (254 of 399, 63.7 per cent), but the consequences of these strategies varied. American surgeons and less experienced surgeons were stricter. Antibiotics were given at least 1 h before surgery by 295 of 414 respondents (71.3 per cent). Synthetic and biological meshes were used equally in contaminated primary hernia repair, whereas for recurrent hernia repair synthetic mesh was used in a clean environment and biological or no mesh in a contaminated environment. American surgeons and surgeons with less experience preferred biological mesh in contaminated environments significantly more often. Percutaneous drainage and antibiotics were the first steps recommended in treating mesh infection. In the presence of sepsis, most surgeons favoured synthetic mesh explantation and further repair with biological mesh.

Conclusion

There remains a paucity of good-quality evidence in dealing with these hernias, leading to variations in management. Patient optimization and issues related to mesh choice and infections require well designed prospective studies.

One-Year Health Care Utilization and Recurrence After Incisional Hernia Repair in the United States: A Population-Based Study Using the Nationwide Readmission Database

BACKGROUND

Most data on health care utilization after incisional hernia (IH) repair are limited to 30-days and are not nationally representative. We sought to describe nationwide 1-year readmission burden after IH repair (IHR).

METHODS

Patients undergoing elective IHR discharged alive were identified using the 2010-2014 Nationwide Readmission Database. Transfers and incomplete follow-up were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used to describe rates of 1-year readmission, IH recurrence, and bowel obstruction. Cox regression allowed identification of factors associated with 1-year readmissions. Generalized linear models were used to estimate predicted mean difference in cumulative costs/year, which allowed estimation of IHR readmission costs/year nationwide.

RESULTS

Of 15,935 identified patients, 19.35% were readmitted within 1 y. Patients who were readmitted differed by insurance, Charlson index, illness severity, smoking status, disposition, and surgical approach compared with those who were not (P < 0.05). Of readmitted patients, 39.3% returned within 30 d; 50.9% and 25.6% were due to any and infectious complications, respectively; 25.6% presented to a different hospital; 35.4% required reoperation; 5.4% experienced bowel obstruction; and 5% had IHR revision. Factors associated with readmissions included Medicare (hazard ratio [HR] 1.46 [95% confidence interval 1.19-1.8]; P < 0.01) or Medicaid (HR 1.42 [1.12-1.8], P < 0.01); chronic pulmonary disease (1.38 [1.17-1.64], P < 0.01), and anemia (1.36, [1.05-1.75], P = 0.02). Readmitted patients had higher 1-year cumulative costs (predicted mean difference $12,190 [95% CI: 10,941-13,438]; P < 0.01). Nationwide cost related to readmissions totaled $90,196,248/y.

CONCLUSIONS

One-year readmissions after IHR are prevalent and most commonly due to postoperative complications, especially infections. One-third of readmitted patients require a subsequent operation, and 5% experience IH recurrence, intensifying the burden to patients and on the health care system.

Primary non-complicated midline ventral hernia: is laparoscopic IPOM still a reasonable approach?

PURPOSE

Ventral hernia repair has become a common procedure, but the way in which it is performed still depends on surgeon's skill, experience, and habit. The initial open approach is faced with extensive dissection and a high risk of infection and prolonged hospital stay. To tackle these problems, minimally invasive procedures are gaining interest. Several new techniques are emerging, but laparoscopic intra-peritoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) is still the mainstay for many surgeons. We will discuss why laparoscopic IPOM is still a valuable approach in the treatment of primary non-complicated midline hernias and review the current literature.

METHODS

We performed a literature search across PubMed and MEDLINE using the following search terms: "Laparoscopic hernia repair", "Ventral hernia repair" and "Primary ventral hernia". Articles corresponding to these search terms were individually reviewed by the primary author and selected on relevance.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic IPOM still is a good approach for the efficient treatment of primary non-complicated midline hernias. Several techniques are emerging, but are faced with increased costs, technical difficulties, and low study patient volume. Further research is warranted to show superiority and applicability of these new techniques over laparoscopic IPOM, but until then laparoscopic IPOM should remain the go-to technique.

Laparoscopic management of recurrent ventral hernia: an experience of 222 patients

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the predisposing factors and characteristics of recurrent ventral hernia (RVH) along with the feasibility and outcome of laparoscopy in managing RVH.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective analysis of all patients with reducible or irreducible, uncomplicated RVH who underwent surgical management from January 2012 to June 2018.

RESULTS

Out of 222 patients, 186 (83.8%) were female, and 36 (16.2%) were male. The mean age was 54.1 ± 10.1 years; an average body mass index was 31 kg/m² (19-47.9). The most common previous abdominal operations among female patients were cesarean sections (43.5%) and abdominal hysterectomy (36.6%). Most of the patients had a history of open mesh repair (43.7%) and open anatomical repair (36.9%). The median time of recurrence was 4 years (1-33 years). The median defect size was 10 cm² (range 2-150 cm²), and 73% defects were in the midline. Total 181 of 222 (81.6%) patients underwent laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh plus (L-IPOM+), 19 (8.5%) laparoscopic-assisted IPOM+, 17(7.7%) laparoscopic anatomical repair, while remaining 5 (2.3%) patients required open mesh reconstruction. The median size of the composite mesh used was 300 cm² (150-600 cm²). The mean operating time was 145 (30-330) min, and median blood loss was 15 (5-110) ml. The median hospital stay was 3 days, and median follow-up period was 37 months. The post-operative symptomatic seroma rate was 3.1%, and re-recurrence rate was 1.4%.

CONCLUSION

Obesity, old age, female sex, previous lower abdominal surgeries, and previous open repair of a hernia are factors associated with recurrence. Laparoscopic repair is feasible with excellent outcome in most of the patients.

Impact of inadvertent enterotomy on short-term outcomes after ventral hernia repair: An AHSQC analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing ventral hernia repair (VHR) are at risk of an inadvertent enterotomy during surgery. Inadvertent enterotomies potentially contaminate the surgical field presenting a management dilemma for the surgeon. The aim of our study was to define the incidence and risk factors for a recognized inadvertent enterotomy and determine its impact on short-term outcomes after ventral hernia repair.

METHODS

Using a nationwide hernia registry, the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative, we reviewed all ventral hernia repair performed between 2013 and 2017. Patients were assessed for full-thickness inadvertent enterotomies at the time of surgery. Patients with inadvertent enterotomies and without enterotomies were compared to assess differences in 30-day outcomes, using regression modeling.

RESULTS

A total of 5,916 patients were included. The incidence of inadvertent enterotomy was 1.9%, with no difference between open and laparoscopic approaches. Inadvertent enterotomies did not increase surgical site occurrences but there were more surgical site infections (OR: 2.20 [95% CI: 1.24-3.90], P = .007). Patients were less likely to receive mesh if there was an enterotomy. Inadvertent enterotomies led to higher rates of reoperations, readmission, enterocutaneous fistulas, and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Inadvertent enterotomies are more common in complex cases of ventral hernia repair and have an overall incidence of 1.9%. These patients are at increased risk of surgical site infections, reoperations, readmission, and mortality. Although definitive hernia repair with mesh can be safely performed, surgeons should consider multiple factors, including type of mesh and location of mesh in the abdominal wall, before proceeding with definitive repair in any case of an enterotomy.

Laparoscopic modified Sugarbaker parastomal hernia repair with 2-point anchoring and zigzag tacking of Parietex™ Parastomal Mesh technique

BACKGROUND

The ideal mesh and mesh fixation technique for laparoscopic Sugarbaker (SB) parastomal hernia repair have not yet been identified.

METHODS

Sixteen patients with parastomal hernia who underwent laparoscopic modified SB repair (LSB) between June 2012 and October 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. LSB was performed using a developed standardized 2-point anchoring and zigzag tacking of Parietex™ Parastomal Mesh (PCO-PM) technique.

RESULTS

Out of 16 cases, 14 were primary and 2 recurrent hernias; 13 were para-end colostomy and 3 were para-ileal conduit (PIC) hernias. The median longitudinal and transverse diameters of the hernia orifice were 5 cm (2.5-7 cm) and 4.2 cm (2-6 cm), respectively. Five cases had a concomitant midline incisional hernia, which was simultaneously repaired. In all cases, the mesh was placed without deflection. The median operation time was 193 (75-386) min. Perioperative complications occurred in two cases (13 %) with PIC, one intra-operatively and the other postoperatively. The intra-operative complication was enterotomy close to the ureteroenteric anastomosis of the ileal conduit; it was repaired through a mini-laparotomy. LSB was accomplished without any subsequent postoperative complications. The postoperative complication was ureteral obstruction that required creation of nephrostomy. Mini-laparotomy was necessary in those two cases (13 %) because of intra-operative enterotomy and severe intra-abdominal adhesions. The median postoperative length of stay was 9 (5-14) days. No recurrence was observed with a median follow-up of 14.5 (2-41) months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our LSB using standardized mesh fixation technique is safe and feasible, and the PCO-PM seems to be the most optimal prosthesis.

Current Trends in Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair

Background and Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to analyze the surgical technique, postoperative complications, and possible recurrence after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) in comparison with open ventral hernia repair (OVHR), based on the international literature.

Database:

A Medline search of the current English literature was performed using the terms laparoscopic ventral hernia repair and incisional hernia repair.

Conclusions:

LVHR is a safe alternative to the open method, with the main advantages being minimal postoperative pain, shorter recovery, and decreased wound and mesh infections. Incidental enterotomy can be avoided by using a meticulous technique and sharp dissection to avoid thermal injury.

Delayed Manifestations of Laparoscopic Bowel Injury

Bowel injury (BI) is a complication of open and laparoscopic abdominal surgery associated with increased morbidity and mortality. If BI is missed at the time it occurs, it can have devastating consequences. Electrosurgery is used extensively in laparoscopic surgery and can cause thermal injuries that are harder to detect than mechanical injuries and may evolve over time. The medical literature of the past 10 years was searched for large series and compilation studies reporting overall incidence of and mortality from BI in laparoscopy, and the results of seven relevant articles, which included over 300,000 procedures, were analyzed and tabulated. The literature was then reviewed for additional information about the specific incidence and outcome of missed BI and the role of electrosurgical thermal sources in causing BI. BI is underreported, frequently missed at surgery, and results in significant morbidity and mortality that can be ground for malpractice claims against the surgeon. Thermal injury from electrosurgical instruments may be involved in a number of injuries in laparoscopic surgery. Nearly undetectable partial-thickness thermal injury may play a role in the atypical and delayed presentation of some cases of BI.

[Intervention-specific complications of hernia surgery]

Hernia surgery is generally a rewarding task, patient satisfaction is high and the long-term results are generally good. Incisional hernias are more heterogeneous and there is a higher variability of morphologies to be matched with the available therapeutic approaches but the majority of patients are also satisfied with the results. This positive scenario for hernia surgery can be largely attributable to careful preoperative planning, effective surgical techniques and a high degree of standardization. The picture is somewhat clouded by the complications associated with hernia surgery. If complications do arise, the outcome largely depends on how well the surgeon responds. For inguinal and femoral hernias, the risk profile of the patient is crucial to the surgical planning and the wrong operation on the wrong patient can be disastrous. Open procedures have complication risks in common but the question of how best to deal with the nerves has yet to be answered. Endoscopic procedures are an indispensable part of the hernia surgery repertoire and the hernia specialist should be proficient in TEP and TAPP techniques. Ventral and incisional hernias have higher complication rates and the treatment is similar despite differences in etiology and pathophysiology. Although open procedures are better for morphological reconstruction they are accompanied by a higher complication rate. Laparoscopic procedures had a severe complication profile early on but the situation has greatly improved today due to continued refinement of the learning curve. A critical approach to the application of methods and meshes, a deep knowledge of anatomical peculiarities and the careful planning of tactics for dealing with intraoperative problems are the hallmarks of today's good hernia surgeon.