PORT SITE HERNIA: A COMPLICATION OF MINIMAL ACCESS SURGERY

Background: Port site hernia is a rare but potentially serious complication of laparoscopic surgeries. This study aimed to determine the frequency of port site hernias in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery at our set up. Material & Methods: This is a prospective descriptive study conducted at Jamil laparoscopic clinic, Dera Ismail Khan, from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015. This study included 450 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. The fascial defect as well as the peritoneum was closed routinely at the umbilical port site with vicryl '0' on 'J' shaped needle. Patients were examined for any port site hernia during their follow up visits. The frequency of port site hernia was calculated. Results: During the study period, 450 patients underwent laparoscopic procedures and out of these, 5 patients (1.1%) developed port site hernia during a follow up period of two years. Conclusion: Laparoscopic procedures are associated with an acceptably low frequency of port site hernia, provided that proper selection of patients is done and utmost care is taken to avoid the risk factors involved in the development of port site hernia.