Optimization of Surgical Treatment of Patients With Incisional Ventral Hernias

Incisional ventral hernias — where abdominal organs protrude through weaknesses in the abdominal wall at the site of a previous surgical incision — are a common complication of abdominal surgery, affecting up to 20% of patients who have had laparotomies. Surgical repair is the only definitive treatment, but there is no consensus on the best approach for medium-sized hernias (width 4.1 to 15 cm), and recurrence rates remain high. This study compares different surgical repair techniques — including mesh placement strategies and component separation methods — to identify the most effective approach for optimizing long-term outcomes. Patients between 25 and 88 years of age with postoperative ventral hernias of median or lateral localization with a gate width of 4.1 to 15 cm (classified as W2-W3 by the European Hernia Society), as confirmed by CT scan, are eligible. Patients without a postoperative ventral hernia or outside this size range are not included. Participants will undergo their hernia repair surgery using one of the compared techniques and be followed post-operatively for recurrence rates, complications, recovery time, and quality of life. This research is important because hernia recurrence — where the repaired hernia comes back — is a significant problem that often requires additional surgery, prolongs recovery, and greatly impacts quality of life. Identifying the optimal surgical technique for this hernia size category could reduce recurrence rates and spare patients from repeat operations.