ABSTRACT
Background: Ventral hernia repair is a common surgical procedure, with various techniques available for hernioplasty. The Desarda technique, a tissue-based repair method, has emerged as an alternative to conventional mesh hernioplasty. However, there is a paucity of comparative studies evaluating their outcomes.
Aim: This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of Desarda repair and conventional mesh hernioplasty in patients undergoing ventral hernia surgery.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 120 patients who underwent ventral hernia surgery between February 2023 and January 2024 at Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Sixty patients underwent Desarda repair, while the remaining 60 underwent conventional mesh hernioplasty. Data regarding demographics, hernia characteristics, intraoperative findings, postoperative complications, and recurrence rates were collected and analyzed.
Results: The study population comprised 70 males (58.3%) and 50 females (41.7%), with a mean age of 52 years (± 8.4). The majority of hernias were primary (n=90, 75%) rather than recurrent. Intraoperative findings revealed comparable operative times between the two groups (Desarda: mean 75 minutes, conventional mesh: mean 80 minutes). However, the Desarda group had a lower incidence of intraoperative complications (Desarda: 8.3%, conventional mesh: 16.7%). Postoperatively, complications such as seroma and wound infection were lower in the Desarda group (Desarda: 12.5%, conventional mesh: 20.8%). Additionally, the Desarda repair demonstrated a lower hernia recurrence rate at one-year follow-up (Desarda: 5%, conventional mesh: 10%).
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that Desarda repair offers comparable operative times with fewer intraoperative and postoperative complications compared to conventional mesh hernioplasty in ventral hernia surgery. Furthermore, the Desarda technique exhibits a lower hernia recurrence rate at one-year follow-up. These results support the consideration of Desarda repair as a viable alternative to conventional mesh hernioplasty in select patients.
Keywords: Ventral hernia, Desarda repair, conventional mesh hernioplasty, surgical outcomes, recurrence rate, complications.