Mesh overlap for ventral hernia repair in current practice

Introduction Sufficient overlap of mesh beyond the borders of a ventral hernia helps prevent hernia recurrence. Guidelines from the European Hernia Society and American Hernia Society recommend ≥ 2 cm overlap for open repair of < 1-cm hernias, ≥ 3-cm overlap for open repair of 1–4-cm hernias, ≥ 5-cm overlap for open repair of > 4-cm hernias, and ≥ 5-cm overlap for all laparoscopic ventral hernia repairs. We evaluated whether current practice reflects this guidance. Methods We used the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative Hernia Registry to evaluate patients who underwent elective ventral and umbilical hernia repair between 2020 and 2022. Mesh overlap was calculated as [(width of mesh − width of hernia)/2]. The main outcome was “sufficient overlap,” defined based on published EHS and AHS guidelines. Explanatory variables included patient, operative, and hernia characteristics. The main analysis was a multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between explanatory variables and sufficient mesh overlap. Results 4178 patients underwent ventral hernia repair with a mean age of 55.2 (13.9) years, 1739 (41.6%) females, mean body mass index (BMI) of 33.1 (7.2) kg/m 2 , and mean hernia width of 3.7 (3.4) cm. Mean mesh overlap was 3.7 (2.5) cm and ranged from − 5.5 to 21.4 cm. Only 1074 (25.7%) ventral hernia repairs had sufficient mesh overlap according to published guidelines. Operative factors associated with increased odds of sufficient overlap included myofascial release (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.35 [95% CI 4.07–7.03]), minimally invasive approach (aOR 1.86 [95% CI 1.60–2.17]), and onlay mesh location (aOR 1.31 [95% CI 1.07–1.59]). Patient factors associated with increased odds of sufficient overlap included prior hernia repair (aOR 1.59 [95% CI 1.32–1.92]). Conclusion Although sufficient mesh overlap is recommended to prevent ventral hernia recurrence, only a quarter of ventral hernia repairs in a state-wide cohort of patients had sufficient overlap according to evidence-based guidelines. Factors strongly associated with sufficient overlap included myofascial release, mesh type, and laparoscopic repair.