Ventral hernia refers to a defect in the anterior abdominal wall through which abdominal contents may protrude. It includes several types such as incisional hernia, umbilical hernia, epigastric hernia, and paraumbilical hernia. Ventral hernias are commonly encountered in surgical practice and may develop due to factors such as previous abdominal surgery, obesity, wound infection, and increased intra-abdominal pressure.

Traditionally, ventral hernias were repaired using primary tissue repair techniques. However, these methods were associated with high recurrence rates. With the introduction of prosthetic mesh repair, the recurrence rates have significantly decreased, making mesh repair the preferred treatment modality.

Despite the advantages of mesh repair, postoperative complications such as surgical site infection, seroma formation, hematoma, mesh rejection, and recurrence may still occur. These complications can prolong hospital stay and affect patient outcomes.

Evaluating postoperative complications following ventral hernia mesh repair helps surgeons understand risk factors and improve surgical outcomes. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the postoperative complications associated with mesh repair of ventral hernia in a tertiary care center.

This is a Prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery in a tertiary care teaching hospital over a period of 1 year.

Study Population

Patients diagnosed with ventral hernia and undergoing mesh repair surgery.

Sample Size

A total of 100 patients were included in the study.

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients aged above 18 years
• Patients diagnosed with ventral hernia
• Patients undergoing mesh repair surgery

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients with strangulated hernia requiring emergency surgery
• Patients with severe comorbid illness unfit for surgery
• Patients unwilling to participate in the study

Data Collection

Information collected included:

• Age and gender
• Type of ventral hernia
• Risk factors (obesity, previous surgery, diabetes)
• Type of mesh repair
• Postoperative complications

Statistical Analysis

Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results were expressed in terms of frequencies and percentages.

Table 1: Age Distribution of Patients

Table 2: Gender Distribution

Table 3: Types of Ventral Hernia

Table 4: Risk Factors

Table 5: Post-operative Complications

Ventral hernia is a common surgical condition that significantly affects patient quality of life. Mesh repair has become the preferred treatment method due to its lower recurrence rates compared to traditional tissue repair.

In the present study, the majority of patients were in the age group of 41–60 years. Similar findings have been reported in previous studies, where middle-aged individuals were found to have a higher prevalence of ventral hernia due to weakening of the abdominal wall.

Females constituted a higher proportion of patients in this study. This may be attributed to factors such as multiple pregnancies, obesity, and previous abdominal surgeries, particularly cesarean sections.

Incisional hernia was the most common type observed in this study, which is consistent with other studies. Poor wound healing, wound infection, and increased intra-abdominal pressure following surgery contribute to the development of incisional hernia.

Regarding postoperative complications, seroma formation was the most common complication followed by surgical site infection. These findings are comparable with earlier studies that reported seroma as the most frequent complication after mesh repair.

The recurrence rate in this study was low, indicating that mesh repair provides effective reinforcement of the abdominal wall. Proper surgical technique, adequate mesh placement, and careful postoperative management play important roles in reducing complications.

Mesh repair is a safe and effective surgical technique for the management of ventral hernia. Although postoperative complications such as seroma, surgical site infection, and hematoma may occur, their incidence is relatively low. Early diagnosis, proper surgical technique, and meticulous postoperative care are essential to minimize complications and improve patient outcomes.

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