A Comparative Analysis of Open and Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair Techniques

Abstract

Introduction- Ventral hernias are a common surgical concern, and the choice of repair technique can significantly impact patient outcomes. Two such commonly preferred techniques are Open Ventral Hernia Repair and Laparoscopic technique. This prospective study aims to compare open and laparoscopic approaches for ventral hernia repair, considering various clinical parameters. Methods- A total of 80 patients were categorized into two groups: Group 1 (open repair) and Group 2 (laparoscopic repair), with 40 patients each. The study was conducted at MKCG Medical College, Odisha, India. The post-operative changes were compared for different parameters. Hematoma formation, postoperative wound infection, seroma occurrence, visual analogue score (VAS) for pain, mesh infection, resumption of diet time, recurrence, and duration before movement were evaluated. Statistical analysis was employed to assess the results.
Results- While no statistically significant differences were observed in hematoma formation, postoperative wound infection, or seroma occurrence, the laparoscopic approach showed a significantly lower mean VAS score, indicating reduced postoperative pain making it a more preferred technique. There were no instances of mesh infection, recurrence, or substantial variations in resumption of diet time or duration before movement in either group.