Mesh Repair in Crohn’s Disease: A Case-Matched Multicenter Study in 234 Patients

There are no specific guidelines for ventral hernia management in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients. We aimed to assess the risk of septic morbidity after mesh repair in CD. This was a retrospective multicentre study comparing CD and non-CD patients undergoing mesh repair for ventral hernia (primary or incisional hernia). Controls were matched 1:1 for the presence of a stoma, history of surgical sepsis, hernia size and Ventral Hernia Working Group (VHWG) score. All demographic, pre-, intra- and postoperative data were retrieved, including long-term data. We included 234 patients, with 114 CD patients. Both groups had comparable VHWG scores (p = 0.12), hernia sizes (p = 0.11), ASA scores ≥ 3 (p = 0.70), body mass index values (p = 0.14), presence of stoma (CD 21.9% vs. controls 15%, p = 0.16), history of sepsis (14% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.23), rates of malnutrition (4.4% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.46), rates of incisional hernia (93% vs. 95%, p = 0.68) and concomitant procedures (18.4% vs. 11.7%, p = 0.12). CD patients carried a higher risk of postoperative septic morbidity (18.4% vs. 5%, p = 0.001), entero-prosthetic fistula (7% vs. 0, p < 0.01) and mesh withdrawals (5.3% vs. 0, p = 0.011). Ventral hernia recurrence rates were similar (14% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.15). In the univariate analysis, the risk factors for septic morbidity were CD (p = 0.001), malnutrition (p = 0.004), use of biological mesh (p < 0.0001) and concomitant procedure (p = 0.004). The mesh position, the means used for mesh fixation as well as the presence of a stoma were not identified as risk factors. CD seems to be a risk factor for septic morbidity after mesh repair.