Experience with and results of the laparoscopic treatment of laparocele

The purpose of this study was to describe our experience from December 1999 to March 2003 with a series of 76 cases of laparocele, 56 of which (74%) were incisional and 26 (26%) primitive. The case series shows a prevalence of the female sex (2/1) and in 18% of cases the patients were obese (BMI > or = 30). The mean corrected surface was 71 cm2 +/- 75 SD (10-260). The technique requires the use of an open access ePTFE dual mesh prosthesis with micropores. The mean operating time was 102 min +/- 38 SD (40-240). In 5 cases (6.5%) an open conversion was necessary owing to visceral lesions. Minor complications were observed in 19 patients (25%), who were treated in the early period of our experience. Among the most important complications was one late bowel perforation (1%) that required immediate laparoscopic reoperation. The mean hospital stay was 4 days +/- 2 SD (1-13), although now that a certain amount of experience has been acquired, the mean stay in hospital is only 2 days. The follow-up of 16 months +/- 3 SD (2-36) has revealed 3 recurrences (4%) and 1 trocar herniation (1%).