Repair of Massive Ventral Hernia

Massive ventral hernia repair is a surgical procedure to repair a massive defect of the abdominal wall using muscle advancement and tissue expansion techniques. Candidates for surgery include patients who have a very large hernia measuring 10cm in diameter or more, as well as patients who have had multiple unsuccessful attempts at hernia repair.

Ventral hernias are tears or openings in the abdominal wall which may occur in areas of previous surgical incisions. They may occur soon after the original surgery or years later. They are typically seen as a protrusion or bulge near the incision scar and patients may also experience some pain. Serious complications may result from untreated hernias if tissue becomes trapped in the hernia (incarceration).

Hernia repair typically takes three to six hours to complete under general anesthesia. Either a vertical or horizontal incision may be made. In some cases, hernia repair may be performed jointly with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or panniculectomy.

The recovery following hernia repair takes two to four weeks. During this time, patients must refrain from heavy lifting and strenuous exercise. All sutures are internal and dissolve on their own. Patients are often able to return to work within two to four weeks, however strenuous activity and exercise should be postponed for four to six weeks. Complications are generally rare but may include bleeding, infection, hematoma and seroma.