Background: Despite being one of the most exact indications, laparoscopic treatment of abdominal ventral hernia is barely known among the arrays of laparoscopic techniques. Methods: Two series of patients, 20 treated by laparoscopic repair (LR) and 20 by open prosthetic repair (OR), are compared with regard to age, sex, previous surgery, size and location of hernia, operating time, hospital stay, follow-up evaluation and hernia recurrence. Results: In the LR group, observations included a longer mean operative time and shorter hospital stay than in the OR group. No intra-operative complications were observed in the LR group, while one case was observed in the OR group. Early and late complications were more frequent in the OR group. One recurrence occurred in the OR group, but none occurred in the LR group. Conclusions: Laparoscopic treatment of ventral hernia reduces complications and relapse rates, eliminates re-intervention through mesh infection and considerably reduces the length of hospital stay.