HERNIOPLASTY

Incisional hernia is a common complication of abdominal surgery and an important source of morbidity. It may be repairedusing open suture, open mesh or laparoscopic mesh techniques. O b j e c t i v e s : To examine the results of open mesh repair using "sublaytechnique" of hernioplasty. Setting: Surgical Unit-I, Department of Surgery at Allied Hospital, a tertiary care teaching hospital affiliated withPunjab Medical College, Faisalabad. Patient & M e t h o d s : Sixty patients (male:16, female:44) were operated for incisional hernia. Openmesh repair was done. Polypropylene mesh was placed over closed posterior rectus sheath layer and over the rectus abdominis, wereavailable. Anterior rectus sheath was closed in front of the implanted mesh. All the patients received injectable third generation cephalosporinfor 48hrs postoperatively. Postoperative recovery in terms of seroma formation, wound infection, intraabdominal adhesions leading tointestinal obstruction, enterocutaneous fistula formation and recurrence were the main factors noted and analyzed statistically. Results:Mean postoperative hospital stay was 03 days. Only one patient developed wound infection. None of the patients developed seromaformation, intestinal obstruction or enterocutaneous fistula. Maximum follow up till this study is 14 months. No recurrence has been reportedso far. C o n c l u s i o n s : Open mesh repair using "sublay technique" does not carry risk of enterocutaneous fistula, carries low risk of seromaformation and wound infection. Proper technique is not associated with recurrence.