Objective
This study aimed to assess the outcomes of ventral hernia repair simultaneous with abdominoplasty in multiparous women.
Patients and methods
This retrospective study was performed on 55 multiparous women with ventral hernia who underwent ventral hernia repair simultaneous with abdominoplasty during the period from March 2018 through February 2020. Repair of ventral hernias was achieved with or without the use of prosthetic mesh, where the use of the mesh was restricted for patients with defects larger than 3 cm in length and those with incisional hernia. All demographic data were collected, and the patients’ follow-up visits were reviewed from the charts for postoperative complications, recurrence, and patient's satisfaction for 1 year.
Results
The mean BMI was 30.1±5.0 kg/m. A total of 38 (69.1%) patients had umbilical and paraumbilical hernias, whereas 17 (30.9%) patients had incisional hernias. The mean size of the hernia defect was 3.9±1.7 cm. Overall, 28 (50.9%) patients required repair with a mesh. The overall complication rate was 43.6% (wound dehiscence, 18.2%; seroma, 16.4%; and wound infection, 14.5%). There was a significant correlation only between wound dehiscence and obesity (=0.024). A total of 52 (94.5%) patients were satisfied, whereas three (5.5%) patients were not satisfied regarding symptoms relief and esthetic results. There was no recorded hernia recurrence at 1-year follow-up.
Conclusion
The combination of hernia repair and abdominoplasty is a safe and practical procedure. This combination has the benefits of repairing the hernia, improving abdominal contour, and relieving the patient's symptoms.