Proceed™ mesh for laparoscopic ventral hernia repair

Background and Objectives: Laparoscopic technique to repair ventral hernia offers advantages over conventional open surgery such as shorter recovery time, decreased pain, and lower recurrence rates. There are a myriad of meshes available for laparoscopic repair of ventral hernias. This study evaluated the outcomes of laparoscopic repair of ventral hernias with Proceed mesh (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ, USA) in a single academic institution. Methods: An institutional review board-approved retrospective review was performed for 100 consecutive patients with ventral hernia who underwent a laparoscopic approach at our institution from August 2006 to February 2009. All patients were operated on by a single surgeon using a standard technique with transabdominal suture fixation and tacks. Results: The study included 100 consecutive patients (57 female and 43 male patients). The mean age was 55 years (range, 16-78 years), and the mean body mass index was 33.3 kg/m² (range, 19.6-68.9 kg/m²). Of the repairs, 27% were performed for a recurrent hernia. The mean and median size of the defect were 128 cm² and 119.5 cm² (range, 4-500 cm²), respectively. To ensure appropriate mesh overlap, the mean size of mesh was 253 cm2 (range, 36-700 cm2). There were 4 conversions. The mean operative time was 117 minutes (range, 35-286 minutes). The mean length of stay was 1.9 days. There were no major abdominal complications. With a mean follow-up period of 50 months (range, 38-68 months), we have not recorded any recurrences. No mesh-related complications have been documented. Conclusions: The laparoscopic approach to ventral hernia repairs using Proceed mesh is associated with a low conversion rate and no major complications. At 50 months of follow-up, the recurrence rate is 0%. There were no mesh-related complications.