Carlos Manterola & Josué Rivadeneira

Incisional hernias (IH) represent the most common late complication of abdominal surgery and require surgical repair. The management of IH remains challenging, particularly in cases with extensive defects such as large incisional hernias (LIH) and giant incisional hernias (GIH). In these patients, surgery is associated with higher rates of postoperative complications (POC) and recurrence compared with smaller IH. The aim of this study was to report the results of surgical treatment of large and giant and IH in terms of CPO, using extraperitoneal mesh. The aim of this study was to report the results of elective surgical treatment of LIH and GIH using supra-aponeurotic mesh in terms of CPO. Retrospective case series with follow-up. The study was carried out at RedSalud Mayor Clinic in Temuco between 2011-2023. Patients older than 18 years with a fascial defect greater than 10 cm in diameter were included in the study. Primary defect closure was performed in all patients using a continuous PDS-1 suture, with supra-aponeurotic reinforcement using a polypropylene mesh. Outcome was POC measured at 30 days postoperatively, applying Clavien & Dindo classification. Other variables of interest were surgical time, hospital stay, mortality and follow-up. Descriptive statistics were applied. In the studied period, 41 patients with LIH and GIH (average age of 60.9±15.8 years, 63.4% female), underwent surgery. Median defect diameter was 17.1±6.8 cm. Average operation time was 85.5±36.4 minutes, and median hospital stay was 4.2±1.5 days. POC occurred in 24.3 % of cases, all of them Clavien & Dindo 1. One reintervention and one case of mortality occurred. With an average follow-up of 44.4±17.4 months, recurrence observed was 4.8 %. CPO rate is high but based on mild complications. However, cases of recurrence and mortality were verified.

KEY WORDS: Ventral hernia; Incisional hernia; Open incisional hernia repair.

MANTEROLA, C. & RIVADENEIRA, J. Large and giant incisional hernia elective surgical repair results. Retrospective case series with follow-up. Int. J. Morphol., 44(3):1084-1089, 2026.