Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery  2012;15(4):161-164

doi:10.7602/jmis.2012.15.4.161

Management of Infected Mesh after Laparoscopic Incisional Hernia Repair.

Gil Jae LEE 1 ; Min CHUNG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Ventral hernia; Laparoscopic surgery; Surgical mesh

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Laparoscopic repair using mesh is a standard technique for ventral hernia repair. Complications of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair increase according to the increment of laparoscopic repair. Subcutaneous emphysema and mesh infection are major complications of laparoscopic repair of ventral hernia. The principle of management of infection is removal of a foreign body. However, in the case of repair with mesh, removal of infected mesh induces recurrence of hernia. Preservation of mesh is the best option for treatment of infected mesh. We have experienced treatment without removal of mesh in a case of infected subcutaneous emphysema after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. The infection spread slowly to mesh and seroma. Drainage and debridement of infected tissue and evacuation of infected seroma resulted in healing of the infection without removal of mesh.