Background: The therapeutic problems of giant incisional hernias of the abdominal wall are often difficult to resolve. The technique of repair must make up for the loss of abdominal wall substance and reestablish the interplay of the abdominal musculature. The use of prosthetic materials complies with these 2 imperatives.
Hypothesis: The results of surgical treatment of postoperative incisional hernias by intraperitoneal insertion of Dacron mesh and an aponeurotic graft were evaluated.
Design and setting: Retrospective study of 250 patients in a university hospital.
Results: Postoperative mortality was 0.8%. Five patients (2%) developed a subcutaneous infection that did not affect the prosthesis. Another 5 patients (2%) developed a deep-seated infection that necessitated removal of the mesh in 3 cases. Eight patients (3.2%) had recurrence of incisional hernia.
Conclusion: This retrospective study shows that giant abdominal wall hernias can be efficiently treated by the intraperitoneal positioning of Dacron mesh and an aponeurotic graft.