Prevalence, Clinical Presentation, and Management of Incisional Hernia in the Indian Population: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Incisional hernia is a type of hernia caused by an incompletely healed surgical wound, and the abdomen is the most common site of its occurrence. The aim of the present study is to analyze the incidence, etiopathogenesis, various modes of presentation, and different therapeutic modalities of incisional hernia in developing countries like India. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective and observational study conducted on 100 patients. Demographic profile and data regarding the type of surgery, post-operative complication, and duration after which incisional hernia developed were recorded in pro formas. The data were tabulated and analyzed for statistical significance using univariate and multivariate analysis. Result: Incisional hernia occurs most commonly in the age group of 41-50 years. Incidence is more common in females with female to male ratio of 1.6: 1. Maximum cases (48%) of incisional hernia occurred between 6 months and 1 year after surgical intervention. Most common cause for incisional hernia was found to be post-operative infection (47%). Incisional hernias occur more commonly in lower abdominal and gynecological surgeries. Laparoscopic hernioplasty is the first line of treatment for uncomplicated incisional hernias. Conclusion: In Incisional hernias, the choice of operative technique is crucial. Mesh repair is considered superior to anatomical repair alone, and we recommend laparoscopic hernioplasty as the first line of treatment.