Use of posterior component separation and transversus abdominis release in trauma and emergency general surgery patients: a case report and review of the literature

Posterior component separation with transversus abdominis release and implantation of synthetic mesh in the retromuscular space is a durable type of repair for many large incisional hernias with recurrence rates consistently less than 10%. The purported advantage of biologic prostheses in contaminated fields has recently been challenged, and the concern for placing synthetic mesh in contaminated fields may be overstated. There are almost no data specifically addressing the use of this type of repair for chronic incisional hernias in trauma and emergency general surgery patients, so research is needed on this patient population. In this review, a case of a trauma patient receiving posterior component separation with transversus abdominis release and implantation of synthetic mesh for a chronic incisional hernia resulting from a gunshot wound to the abdomen is presented, the technique is explained, and relevant literature is reviewed.