Comparing quality-of-life outcomes in symptomatic patients undergoing laparoscopic or open ventral hernia repair

Background: The aim of this study was to compare quality-of-life outcomes in patients with symptomatic hernias who were undergoing laparoscopic and open repairs. Materials and Methods: Clinical data for patients undergoing ventral hernia repair were reviewed with quality-of-life surveys administered before and at least 6 months following surgery. Results: The study included 56 symptomatic patients. Forty-one patients (73%) underwent laparoscopic repair, and 15 patients (27%) underwent open repair. There was no difference in preoperative quality-of-life scores on the SF-36 Health Survey between patients having laparoscopic or open repairs. Postoperative quality-of-life scores on the SF-36 survey were significantly improved in the laparoscopic group, compared with the open group, in general health (46% vs. 37%; P = 0.0217), vitality (53% vs. 45%; P = 0.0491), role-emotional (45% vs. 35%; P = 0.0480), and mental health (49% vs. 39%; P = 0.0381). Postoperative quality-of-life scores on the Carolinas Comfort Scale (c) (CCS) were significantly improved in the laparoscopic group, compared with the open group, in bending over (3.15 vs. 5.87, P = 0.0158), sitting up (2.51 vs. 5.13; P = 0.0211), activities of daily living (2.48 vs. 5.75; P = 0.0139), coughing or deep breathing (2.95 vs. 5.75; P = 0.0314), walking (2.36 vs. 4.62; P = 0.0427), exercising (3.19 vs. 6.14; P = 0.0222), and total comfort scale (17.62 vs. 40.23; P = 0.0084). Conclusions: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair provides improved quality-of-life, compared with open repair, 6 months postoperatively. Nearly all physical variables measured by the CCS were significantly better when ventral hernias were repaired laparoscopically.