Assessment of myofascial medialization following intraoperative fascial traction (IFT) in a cadaveric model

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Intraoperative fascial traction (IFT) for the treatment of large ventral hernias and loss of domain (LOD) hernias is a promising tool in abdominal wall surgery. However, little is known about the extent of gain in myofascial advancement especially for the anterior rectus sheath. We, therefore, used a cadaveric model to determine the medialization during IFT. Methods 4 fresh frozen specimens were used. Retromuscular preparation was carried out followed by IFT with diagonal vertical traction for 30 min. Medial advancement of the anterior rectus sheath was measured after 15 and 30 min as well as traction forces. Results Total medialization for anterior rectus sheath after 30 min of IFT was 10.5 cm (mean). The mean traction force was 16.28 kg. Total medialization was significantly higher during the first 15 min of vertical fascial traction (p < 0.05). Conclusions IFT provides significant medialization for the anterior rectus sheath in the cadaveric model. The findings align with results from a retrospective case study. Therefore, we see IFT as a beneficial tool in abdominal wall surgery.