Strategies for operative management of abdominal wall hernia after solid organ transplant

Abstract

About 5%-11% of all abdominal surgery results in incisional hernia. This rate can be even higher among high-risk populations such as transplant patients. Lifetime incidence of incisional hernia following liver transplant is as high as 43% in recent studies. The transplant population is at higher risk for incisional hernia precisely because of their immunosuppressive therapy. Thus, it is imperative to understand the risk factors for incisional hernia in this unique patient population. This article focuses on understanding preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors for failure of hernia repair in the transplant population in addition to discussing risk stratification for incisional hernia in this population. Furthermore, we discuss the utility of panniculectomy in abdominal organ transplantation. Additionally, we discuss the value of mesh placement in abdominal wall closure. Finally, we review the concept of vascularized composite allograft as a method for achieving abdominal wall closure for patients who have failed more traditional repairs and who are left with inadequate tissue for successful repair.