Srdjan Rakic

Bulging of the mesh after laparoscopic repair of ventral and incisional hernias.

Although not a hernia recurrence, symptomatic bulging after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair requires a new repair.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Now nearly 2 decades into the laparoscopic era, nationwide laparoscopic cholecystectomy conversion rates remain around 5% to 10%. We analyzed patient- and surgeon-specific factors that may impact the decision to convert to open. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 2205 LCs performed at a large tertiary community hospital over a 52 month period (May 2004 through October 2008). RESULTS The overall conversion rate was 4.9%. The most common reason for conversion was adhesions, and the majority of these patients had prior abdominal surgery. Males and patients >50 years old had a significantly higher likelihood of open conversion. The conversion rate of high-volume surgeons (≥100 total cases) in comparison to low-volume surgeons (40 to 99 total cases) was significantly lower. Conversion rates were lower among surgeons with fellowship training and those who completed residency training after 1990. Interestingly, the percentage of conversions due to technical difficulty was lower among those with fellowship training but higher among those who completed training after 1990. CONCLUSION Conversion occurred in ∼5% of all laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Males, patients >50 years old, and cases performed by low-volume surgeons had a higher likelihood of conversion. Other surgeon-specific factors did not have a significant impact on conversion rate.

Removal of transabdominal sutures for chronic pain after laparoscopic ventral and incisional hernia repair.

Some patients who have undergone laparoscopic repair of ventral and incisional hernia have persistent postoperative pain, assumed to be caused by the presence of transabdominal sutures (TAS). We investigated whether removal of these sutures relieves discomfort. Of 375 patients who underwent laparoscopic repair of ventral and incisional hernia, 6 patients (1.6%) had persistent pain resistant to conservative therapy. These patients underwent relaparoscopy and removal of TAS at all apparent pain sites. Postoperatively, 3 patients had complete pain relief. Two patients had some improvement but moderate, less localized, pain remained. The sixth patient experienced no change at all. Removal of TAS deemed responsible for pain may occasionally provide relief, but the results of removal seem unpredictable and less effective than previously assumed.

Pregnancy following laparoscopic mesh repair of ventral abdominal wall hernia.

This report suggests that laparoscopic repair of ventral and incisional hernias in fertile women who intend to have further pregnancies is an acceptable therapeutic option.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis after intra-abdominally placed synthetic mesh for ventral hernia repair.

BACKGROUND We present a unique experience with a patient who had undergone continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) after laparoscopic repair of ventral incisional hernia (LRVIH) with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) mesh (DualMesh(®); WL Gore) and who later suffered from multiple episodes of CAPD-related peritonitis without any signs of mesh infection. METHODS A 48-year-old man with an open abdominal aortic reconstruction in 1994 for occlusive arterial disease presented with an incisional ventral hernia. He underwent LRVIH using an e-PTFE mesh of 30×20 cm. RESULTS Postoperatively, he developed renal failure. For various reasons, the only therapeutic option was CAPD. A CAPD-catheter was implanted via laparoscopy, taking care not to compromise the mesh that was completely covered with neoperitoneum. After 3 months of uneventful CAPD, he developed a bacterial peritonitis. Antibiotic treatment failed and the CAPD-catheter was removed. The mesh was left in place and the patient recovered. Later on another CAPD-catheter was implanted via laparoscopy and used for 10 months. Again he developed peritonitis from which he recovered after catheter removal. Mesh was left in place and remained uninfected, probably protected from intra-abdominal bacteria by the neoperitoneum. CONCLUSIONS The risk of secondary infection of an intra-abdominal mesh seems to diminish largely after neoperitonealization of the mesh. CAPD seems possible in a patient with an intra-abdominal mesh when it is covered with neoperitoneum.

Postoperative Pain After Laparoscopic Repair of Primary Umbilical Hernia: Titanium Tacks Versus Absorbable Tacks

We investigated if a novel fixation device with absorbable tacks (Securestrap) causes less early and chronic postoperative pain after laparoscopic repair with a double-crown mesh fixation of ventral abdominal wall hernia when compared with the standard fixation device with nonabsorbable titanium tacks (Protack). The primary outcome measure was early postoperative pain at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. The secondary outcome measure was chronic postoperative pain measured ≥18 months after surgery. Pain levels were assessed using a visual analog scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 100 mm (excruciating pain). Early postoperative pain was significantly lower in group 2 (absorbable tacks) at 6 (2 vs. 5; P=0.008) and 12 weeks (1 vs. 2; P=0.008) but not at follow-up (6 vs. 11; P=0.21). Given the very low visual analog scale scores in both groups, the clinical significance of these finding remains open to discussion.

Stapled laparoscopic gastropexy for paraesophageal hernia.

A minimally invasive correction of symptomatic paraesophageal hernia in high-risk elderly patients is described with an emphasis on a new method of laparoscopic gastropexy that is simple, reliable, and can be performed rapidly.