Umbilical hernia in adults: Laparoscopic vs open repair

Abstract

Background: There is no consensus on the best technique for the repair of umbilical hernia in adults. The role of laparoscopic hernioplasty of umbilical hernia remains controversial. This study was undertaken to compare the outcomes of open and laparoscopic onlay patch repair of umbilical hernia in adults. Methods: From January 1996 to December 2002, 102 patients underwent elective repair of umbilical hernia. Operative techniques included Mayo repair (n = 43), laparoscopic onlay Gore-Tex patch hernioplasty (n = 26), suture herniorrhaphy (n = 24), and mesh hernioplasty (n = 9). Results: Demographic features and risk factors were similar among the four groups. The operative time of laparoscopic hernioplasty (median, 66 min) was significantly longer than those for patients who underwent Mayo repair (60 min) or sutured herniorrhaphy (50 min) (p < 0.05). None of the patients who underwent laparoscopic patch repairs required conversion to open repair. The median pain score at rest on postoperative day 1 was significantly lower in patients who underwent laparoscopic repair compared to those who had Mayo repair. A significantly shorter hospital stay and a lower wound morbidity rate were also observed in patients who underwent laparoscopic repair. With a mean follow-up of 2 years, suture herniorrhaphy had a relatively high recurrence rate (8.7%), whereas no recurrence was documented for the other techniques. Conclusions: Laparoscopic onlay patch hernioplasty is a safe and efficacious technique for the repair of umbilical hernia. Compared to Mayo repair, the laparoscopic approach confers the advantages of reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, and a diminished morbidity rate.