Open intraperitoneal mesh repair for umbilical hernias. A technical note.

AbstractBackground: Mesh techniques are the preferable methods for repair of small ventral hernias, including umbilical and epigastric hernias, as primary suture repair shows high recurrence rates. Recently, the Ventralex™ (Davol Inc., C.R.Bard, Inc., RI, USA) hernia patch was introduced with promising preliminary short-term results. Methods: In this short technical note we describe both the surgical technique for adequate patch placement and the material characteristics of this device with associated pro’s and con’s.Conclusion: For small ventral hernia repair the Ventralex™ patch is a very elegant and quick to use mesh device. Although it is meant to be used intraperitoneally, it is also possible to place the patch in the preperitoneal space. However, probably due to the less controllable mesh deployment, and the interaction between the different materials, especially in the preperitoneal space, extra attention and some caution during placement is warranted using this device.