%0 Journal Article
%T Outcomes of elective and emergency surgical repair of incisional hernia: a comparative observational study.
%A Omar I
%A Townsend A
%A Hadfield O
%A Zaimis T
%A Ismaiel M
%A Wilson J
%A Magee C
%J Hernia
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 Mar 6
%M 38446277
%F 2.92
%R 10.1007/s10029-024-02975-4
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Incisional hernia (IH) is a common complication following abdominal surgery. Surgical repair of IH is associated with the alleviation of symptoms and improvement of quality of life. Operative intervention can pose a significant burden to the patient and healthcare facilities. This study aims to describe and compare outcomes of elective and emergency surgical repair of IH.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>This study is a single-centre comparative retrospective study including patients who had repair of IH. Patients were divided into Group I (Emergency) and Group II (Elective), and a comparison was conducted between them.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Two hundred sixty-two patients were identified with a mean age of 61.8 ± 14.2 years, of which 152 (58%) were females. The mean BMI was 31.6 ± 7.2 kg/m2. More than 58% had at least one comorbidity. 169 (64.5%) patients had an elective repair, and 93 (35.5%) had an emergency repair. Patients undergoing emergency repair were significantly older and had higher BMI, p = 0.031 and p = 0.002, respectively. The significant complication rate (Clavien-Dindo III and IV) was 9.54%. 30 and 90-day mortality rates were 2.3% (n = 6) and 2.68% (n = 7), respectively. In the emergency group, the overall complications, 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were significantly higher than in the elective group, p ≤ 0.001, 0.002 and 0.001, respectively. Overall, 42 (16.1%) developed wound complications, 25 (9.6%) experienced a recurrence, and 41 (15.71%) were readmitted within 90 days, without significant differences between the two groups.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Patients who underwent emergency repair were significantly older and had a higher BMI than the elective cases. Emergency IH repair is associated with higher complication rates and mortality than elective repair.