A Brief Overview of Incisional Hernias through the Ages – Etiology, Treatment, and Complications

Abstract

Among the most frequent pathologies of the abdominal wall are hernias, which are defined as a protrusion of the abdominal organs through any of the weak points of the abdominal wall. They can be spontaneous appearing in weak points of the abdominal wall or along the site of surgical incisions. Even though hernias have been acknowledged since ancient times, the topic of incisional hernias was rarely discussed until the advent of modern surgery. After the introduction of anesthesia and antisepsis, abdominal interventions became common, and with this, the incidence of incisional hernias significantly increased. Until after the second world war, the correction of incisional hernias was done using simple sutures, continuous fascial sutures, etc. The large variety of prosthetic materials that are in use today, both dual and biological, helps in the successful correction of incisional hernias. A new era in the treatment of hernias began with the introduction of laparoscopic techniques in 1993 by Le Blanc. However, the correction of incisional hernias continues to remain a real challenge that requires a personalized approach for each patient with the aim of achieving good results and avoiding postoperative complications, of which hernia recurrence remains one of the most serious.