BACKGROUND: Traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWH) are uncommon injuries classically associated with high-energy blunt traumatic mechanisms. Motor vehicle collisions cause the highest proportion of all TAWH. Literature is currently limited, with some debate existing over surgical management strategies.
METHODS: A 67-year-old man presented after falling from a short step stool while landscaping his yard. On exam, an exquisitely tender lateral flank mass was present with peristaltic movement. CT imaging revealed a TAWH with incarcerated large and small bowel. He was taken to the OR for exploratory laparotomy and mesh hernia repair. The patient was discharged on the third postoperative day with no untoward complications.
CONCLUSIONS: This patient\'s mechanism and injury pattern are together a rare combination. Exam findings and radiologic technologies are used to hone the clinical index of suspicion for TAWH. Traumatic abdominal wall defects can have unusual anatomic borders, not always obeying well-known hernia patterns. In this case, the potential space for visceral herniation was created by an 11th rib fracture with associated avulsion of the oblique musculature. Operative approach can be open or laparoscopic, however concomitant injuries directly influence surgical management. Evidence for mesh versus primary repair for TAWH is conflicted by the current literature.
CONCLUSIONS: Nearly any amount of blunt abdominal force can cause TAWH. For wall defects with bowel herniation caused directly by trauma, the safest approach may involve exploratory laparotomy. Future multi-center studies may be able to distinguish TAWH repair strategies based on herniation through old defects versus newly-created abdominal wall injuries.

BACKGROUND: Inguinal hernia repair has evolved from open suture methods to mesh repair which is preformed either open or laparoscopically. Mesh hernia repair has improved the outcome in regards to patient care and recurrence rate but it is also associated with a number of complications. The complications of mesh hernia repair such as deep seated infections, mesh erosion and mesh perforation into nearby viscera has been scarcely reported in literature.
METHODS: We report a 43 years old male case of diverticulosis adherent to a migrated mesh plug from previous laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair procedure.
CONCLUSIONS: The choice of mesh material, appropriate suture placement and closure of the peritoneum after mesh repair is very crucial to avoid long term mesh complications.
CONCLUSIONS: The aim of this case report is to present a rare complication of mesh erosion with colovesical fistula and abscess formation.

BACKGROUND: Primary fascial closure can be a challenging step during a laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) repair for a ventral hernia.
METHODS: We present here a novel technique of using intravenous (IV) cannula as an alternative to suture passer for fascial closure during laparoscopic IPOM repair for a 59-year-old patient with an incisional ventral hernia. The placement of non-absorbable sutures for fascial closure was done with the help of a 14 gauge IV cannula instead of a transfascial suture passer. The rest of the procedural steps were the same as a standard laparoscopic IPOM repair. The patient\'s post-operative recovery was uneventful.
CONCLUSIONS: Primary fascial closure during a laparoscopic IPOM hernia repair can be done either by intracorporeal or extracorporeal techniques, using interrupted or continuous sutures. We propose a novel alternative to suture passer in primary fascial closure. IV cannulas are widely available in hospital settings. The advantage of using an IV cannula instead of a suture passer is that they are widely available. Its single-use also eliminates the risk of transmissible diseases, and as it has a smaller diameter than suture passer, it requires a lower insertion force for successful placement.
CONCLUSIONS: An IV cannula may be used as a more economical alternative to a transfascial suture passer. This technique is easily reproducible and does not violate the principles of primary fascial defect closure in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.

OBJECTIVE: Hernia repair is a common surgical procedure, and postoperative pain is an inevitable result of hernia surgery. The prevention of postoperative pain is of considerable importance in terms of patient comfort and early discharge. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a peritoneal incision on pain in the early postoperative period.
BACKGROUND: This was a prospective clinical study with 75 patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair.
METHODS: Patients were divided into five groups: group 1: indirect hernia, Lichtenstein repair with peritoneal incision, group 2: indirect hernia, Lichtenstein repair without peritoneal incision, group 3: all hernias, trans-abdominal preperitoneal(TAPP) repair, group 4: all hernias, total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair, and group 5: direct hernia, Lichtenstein repair with no peritoneal incision. Groups were compared in terms of postoperative pain scores at three different times and complications.
RESULTS: There were 62 males and 13 females; their average age was 51.25 years. The visual analog scale (VAS) scores were lower in groups 2, 4, and 5, and there were differences among groups and within each group according to VAS changes assessed at all time points (p < 0.05). There was no difference, according to VAS analysis, between open and laparoscopic surgery groups. There was a difference according to VAS changes in each group between hernia sides (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal incision is a significant risk factor for postoperative pain after inguinal hernia repair. But, surgical procedure was not a risk factor although VAS scores were higher in open than laparoscopic surgery.

Chronic groin pain (Inguinodynia) following inguinal hernia repair is a significant, though under-reported problem. Mild pain lasting for a few days is common following mesh inguinal hernia repair. However, moderate to severe pain persisting more than 3 mo after inguinal herniorrhaphy should be considered as pathological. The major reasons for chronic groin pain have been identified as neuropathic cause due to inguinal nerve(s) damage or non-neuropathic cause due to mesh or other related factors. The symptom complex of chronic groin pain varies from a dull ache to sharp shooting pain along the distribution of inguinal nerves. Thorough history and meticulous clinical examination should be performed to identify the exact cause of chronic groin pain, as there is no single test to confirm the aetiology behind the pain or to point out the exact nerve involved. Various studies have been performed to look at the difference in chronic groin pain rates with the use of mesh vs non-mesh repair, use of heavyweight vs lightweight mesh and mesh fixation with sutures vs. glue. Though there is no convincing evidence favouring one over the other, lightweight meshes are generally preferred because of their lesser foreign body reaction and better tolerance by the patients. Identification of all three nerves has been shown to be an important factor in reducing chronic groin pain, though there are no well conducted randomised studies to recommend the benefits of nerve excision vs preservation. Both non-surgical and surgical options have been tried for chronic groin pain, with their consequent risks of analgesic side-effects, recurrent pain, recurrent hernia and significant sensory loss. By far the best treatment for chronic groin pain is to avoid bestowing this on the patient by careful intra-operative handling of inguinal structures and better patient counselling pre- and post-herniorraphy.