Surgical site infection after groin hernia repair

Impact of patient's sex on groin hernia repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Groin hernia repair (GHR) is a performed procedure worldwide, with approximately 20 million surgeries carried out each year. Despite being less common in females, there is a lack of research on how sex influences the outcomes of GHR. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to assess how patient sex impacts results in GHR.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched for studies up to October 2023 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The studies included focused on sex outcomes for both robotic and open GHR procedures. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted using the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies - Of Interventions tool. Our statistical analysis was performed using the metafor package in RStudio.

RESULTS

After screening a total of 3917 articles, we identified 29 studies that met our criteria, comprising a total of 1,236,694 patients. Among them, 98,641 (7.98%) patients were females. Our findings showed that females had higher rates of hernia recurrence (RR 1.28), chronic pain (RR 1.52), and surgical site infections (SSIs) (RR 1.46) compared to males. Females showed a lower tendency to undergo minimally invasive surgery (MIS) with a relative risk of 0.82 (95% CI 0.69-0.97; p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Females tend to face higher rates of complications after GHR such as an elevated risk of chronic pain, recurrence, and surgical site infections (SSI). Moreover, they undergo fewer MIS options compared to males. These results underscore the importance of research to enhance outcomes for women undergoing GHR.

Application of machine learning algorithms to predict postoperative surgical site infections and surgical site occurrences following inguinal hernia surgery

PURPOSE

This study aimed to develop, validate, and evaluate machine learning (ML) algorithms for predicting Surgical site infections (SSI) and surgical site occurrences (SSO) after elective open inguinal hernia surgery.

METHODS

A cohort of 491 patients who underwent elective open inguinal hernia surgery at Fudan University Affiliated Huadong Hospital between December 2019 and December 2020 was enrolled. To create a strong prediction model, we employed five ML methods: generalized linear model, random forest (RF), support vector machines, neural network, and gradient boosting machine. Based on the best performing model, we devised online calculators to facilitate clinicians' access to a linear predictor for patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve was utilized to evaluate the model's discriminatory capability and predictive accuracy.

RESULTS

The incidence rates of SSI and SSO were 4.68% and 13.44%, respectively. Four variables (diabetes, recurrence, antibiotic prophylaxis, and duration of surgery) were identified for SSI prediction, while four variables (diabetes, size of hernias, albumin levels, and antibiotic prophylaxis) were included for SSO prediction. In the test set, the RF model showed the best predictive ability (SSI: area under the curve (AUC) = 0.849, sensitivity = 0.769, specificity = 0.769, and accuracy = 0.769; SSO: AUC = 0.740, sensitivity = 0.513, specificity = 0.821, and accuracy = 0.667). Online calculators have been developed to assess patients' risk of SSI ( https://wuqian17.shinyapps.io/predictionSSI/ ) and SSO ( https://wuqian17.shinyapps.io/predictionSSO/ ) after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This study developed a prediction model for SSI/SSO using ML methods. It holds the potential to facilitate the selection of appropriate treatment options following elective open inguinal hernia surgery.

The Role of Imaging in the Pre- and Postoperative Evaluation of Inguinal Hernia

Inguinal hernia repair is the most frequently performed surgical procedure. Imaging has a fundamental role in initial assessment and postoperative evaluation of inguinal hernias. Clinical implications of radiology in the preoperative setting include diagnosis of occult/complicated hernias and enhancement of diagnostic certainty. Postoperatively, imaging may assist the detection and characterization of complications. Familiarity with the normal appearance of the postoperative groin area and surgical techniques is required to avoid misinterpretation. This pictorial essay provides an overview of the expected postoperative imaging findings and highlights the role of imaging in the pre- and postoperative evaluation of inguinal hernias, with emphasis on ultrasonography.

The role of prophylactic antibiotics in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Whether to use antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair has been controversial. To systematically evaluate the effect of prophylactic antibiotic application in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair, we identified all published randomised controlled trials of the effect of prophylactic antibiotic application on elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair were collected by computer retrieval from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure; VIP Database; Wanfang Database; China Biomedical Literature Database; and PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3 software. The meta-analysis showed that the total incidence of surgical site infections [P = 0.003] and the incidence of superficial surgical site infections [P = 0.004] in the antibiotic group (AG) were lower than those in the non-antibiotic group (NAG). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of postoperative infections [P = 0.06], deep surgical site infections [P = 0.26] and seroma [P = 0.52] between the AG and the NAG. Based on current evidence, the application of prophylactic antibiotics in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair can prevent the total incidence of surgical site infections and that of superficial surgical site infections but cannot prevent the total incidence of postoperative infection events, incidence of deep surgical site infections and incidence of seroma.

Risk factors for surgical site infection after groin hernia repair: does the mesh or technique matter?

INTRODUCTION

Surgical site infections (SSIs) following groin hernia repair (GHR) are getting rarer in high income countries despite a wider use of meshes. Among the risk factors for SSIs, those related to the mesh and the surgical technique have rarely been described.

METHODS

A registry-based multicenter study using prospectively collected data, including SSIs and their potential risk factors, was conducted in the French Hernia-Club.

RESULTS

Between 2012 and 2019, 21,976 consecutive unselected adult patients aged 64.8  ±  15.4 years old (88.9% male) underwent GHR (83.5% unilateral). Fifty four percent were laparoscopic; 97.6% used mesh. The overall incidence of SSI was 0.26%. The incidence of SSI was respectively, 0.24% and 0.19% (p  =  0.420) in open vs laparoscopic repairs; 0.19% and 0.25% (p  =  0.638) for polyester vs polypropylene mesh; In adjusted multivariate analysis focusing on macroporous meshes (which were the most implanted meshes: 23,148 out of 24,099), there were no differences in terms of SSIs' rates regarding the technique: open versus laparoscopy (p  =  0.762) nor the type of mesh used: polypropylene versus polyester (p  =  0.557).

CONCLUSION

The rate of SSI following GHR was low in this large registry study. Mesh type and surgical technique did not affect SSIs rates. Caution is advised when interpreting these data due to this very low rate of SSI and the potential for a type II error.

Single use negative pressure wound therapy in vascular patients: clinical and economic outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Surgical site complications (SSCs) such as dehiscence and infection are a common issue within vascular surgeries and are a key concern to payers and clinicians. It is estimated that occurrence of complications in vascular surgery can increment length of stay by 9.72 days and costs by £3776 per episode. The objective of this research was to determine the clinical and economic impact of the prophylactic use of single use negative pressure wound therapy (sNWPT) in postoperative femoral endarterectomy incisions within a single centre in the Netherlands.

METHOD

Data were extracted retrospectively from the medical notes of patients consecutively treated for femoral endarterectomy between January 2013 and December 2019 in a single centre in the Netherlands. Since August 2016, patients were treated with the sNPWT device and their data were compared with that of patients treated before the introduction of the device. Data were extracted on SSCs and associated healthcare resource use, with comparisons made between the two patient groups.

RESULTS

The study included a cohort of 108 patients. Data of patients treated by standard care (n=64) showed 32 (50%) patients developed complications. This reduced significantly in patients treated with the sNPWT device (n=44) of whom eight (18.2%) developed a postoperative complication (p=0.0011). Average postoperative costs per patient were €3119 for those in the standard care group and €2630 where the sNPWT device was used.

CONCLUSION

sNPWT provided clinical and economic benefits over standard care in the treatment of femoral endarterectomy patients, significantly reducing rate of complication and their associated costs.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis against Surgical Site Infection after Open Hernia Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The role of antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) in the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) after hernia repair is debated. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the evidence on the value of prophylactic antibiotics in reducing the risks of SSI after open hernia surgery.

METHODS

We ran an online and manual search to identify relevant randomized controlled trials that compared prophylactic antibiotics to nonantibiotic controls in patients undergoing open surgical hernia repair. Data on SSI risk were extracted and pooled as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), using RevMan software. We further used the Cochrane risk of bias tool and GRADE assessment to evaluate the quality of generated evidence.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine studies (N = 8,616 patients) were included in the current analysis. Antibiotic prophylaxis reduced the risk of SSI in open hernia repair patients (RR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.53, 0.79). Subgroup analysis showed a significant benefit for antibiotics in mesh repair patients (RR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.48, 0.76) yet no significant difference in SSI risk after herniorrhaphy (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.54, 1.36). In addition, AP was associated with a significant reduction in superficial SSI risk (RR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.43, 0.72) but not deep SSI (RR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.30, 1.62). Further analysis showed a significant reduction in SSI risk with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cefazolin but not with cefuroxime.

CONCLUSION

The present meta-analysis suggests that AP is beneficial prior to open mesh hernia repair. However, the quality of evidence was low, and further well-designed trials are needed.

Analysis of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Scale Reliability in Anaesthesia Practice: An Observational Study

Objective

Anaesthesiologists use the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA PS) classification to assess patients’ overall health. The primary objective of this study was to predict the prognostic value regarding peri-operative variables until discharge from hospital and post-operative outcomes. The secondary objective was to evaluate the inter-rater agreement of the ASA scores assigned at the outpatient department (OPD) vs. operating theatres (OT).

Methods

A total of 227 adults scheduled for elective surgery were assigned the ASA grade in preoperative OPD and on the day of surgery. The type of anaesthesia and surgery were noted. The operating time, post-operative ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, post-operative stay, bronchopulmonary complications, cardiac complications, renal dysfunction and any mortality until discharge from hospital were noted. Descriptive statistics were used to report the primary objective. For the secondary objective, Pearson’s correlation test was used for inter-rater reliability.

Results

The ASA grading done at OPD and at OT was the same. It was found that the higher the ASA grade of a patient, the longer was the ICU stay. Patients with higher ASA PS scores were at a comparatively milder risk of developing remaining peri-operative and post-operative complications.

Conclusion

The correlation was the highest with the ICU stay. The inter-rater ASA grades assignment at the clinics and the OT were found to be almost perfect.

Implications of the presence of the vermiform appendix inside an inguinal hernia (Amyand's hernia): a systematic review of the literature

PURPOSE

To identify and sum all available evidence pertaining to the management of Amyand's hernia (AH).

METHODS

A systematic search of the MedLine, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases was performed for studies published until January 2020.

RESULTS

In total, 111 studies incorporating 161 patients were identified, 96 (86.4%) being case reports, 11 (9.9%) case series, and 4 (3.7%) retrospective patient cohorts. Mean patient age was 58.5 ± 19.6 years with 136 (83.9%) being males and 25 (16.1%) females. Furthermore, 149 (92.5%) cases were right-sided hernias while 12 (7.5%) cases were left-sided. Overall, 62.3% of patients presented emergently and 77.3% of patients' cohort were eventually diagnosed with incarcerated AH. Preoperative diagnosis of AH was established in 23.1% of patients and was achieved either by ultrasound (25%) or CT scan (75%). Operative findings consisted of normal appendix in 73 (45.4%) cases, uncomplicated appendicitis in 62 (38.5%) patients, and perforated appendix in 26 (16.1%). Regarding patients with appendicitis, mesh placement was reported for 17 (21.2%), herniorrhaphy was performed for 51 (63.7%) while 12 (15.1%) patients did not undergo hernia repair during the initial operation. Mesh utilization rates were significantly higher in patients with a normal appendix. Seven cases involved AH containing appendiceal neoplasms. Thirteen cases (8.6%) of postoperative complications were documented and a single case of postoperative death.

CONCLUSION

AH is a rare type of inguinal hernia usually complicated by appendicitis. Hernia reconstruction should be tailored to each patient individually according to the extent of inguinal canal inflammation.

Infections associated with mesh repairs of abdominal wall hernias: Are antimicrobial biomaterials the longed-for solution?

The incidence of mesh-related infection after abdominal wall hernia repair is low, generally between 1 and 4%; however, worldwide, this corresponds to tens of thousands of difficult cases to treat annually. Adopting best practices in prevention is one of the keys to reduce the incidence of mesh-related infection. Once the infection is established, however, only a limited number of options are available that provides an efficient and successful treatment outcome. Over the past few years, there has been a tremendous amount of research dedicated to the functionalization of prosthetic meshes with antimicrobial properties, with some receiving regulatory approval and are currently available for clinical use. In this context, it is important to review the clinical importance of mesh infection, its risk factors, prophylaxis and pathogenicity. In addition, we give an overview of the main functionalization approaches that have been applied on meshes to confer anti-bacterial protection, the respective benefits and limitations, and finally some relevant future directions.

What is the Relationship Between Patients’ And Clinicians’ Reports of the Outcomes of Elective Surgery?

Objectives

To identify studies in which patients’ and clinicians’ reports of health status and complications of one of four elective operations - hip and knee replacement, varicose vein surgery and groin hernia repair - are reported, and to describe the associations that have been reported between clinicians’ and patients’ reports.

Methods

Systematic search of several bibliographic databases and review of citations of articles meeting inclusion criteria. A narrative summary of the findings was conducted.

Results

Most of the 62 studies of health status identified were for hip (23) or knee (33) disease. The literature on complications was even more limited with 12 studies of surgical site infection, one for urinary tract infection and none for lower respiratory tract infections. Procedure-specific complications were restricted to one for arthroplasties and three for hernia repair. Despite considerable variation in the findings of studies, some clear patterns emerge, albeit they are largely based on arthroplasty. Patients’ and clinicians’ views of health status generally correlate moderately (0.5-0.6) when both are reporting on the same dimension of health status. Inevitably this is confined to disability, though patients’ and clinicians’ reports of symptoms are also moderately correlated. In contrast, comparisons of different dimensions, such as patients’ reports of disability and clinicians’ reports of impairment, result in poor correlation (0.3). There is huge variation in the way postoperative complications are measured which limits the extent to which an overview can be undertaken. Despite that, moderate to strong correlations have been reported between patients’ and clinicians’ views of complications.

Conclusions

Patients’ views of their level of disability reflect clinicians’ views and can be relied upon to assess this dimension of health status. In addition, patients are the ‘gold standard’ judges of symptoms and quality of life. Given these findings, clinicians, provider managers, commissioners and politicians can be confident that patients’ reports provide an accurate indication of the outcome of elective surgery.

Impact of Postdischarge Surveillance on Surgical Site Infection Rates for Several Surgical Procedures Results From the Nosocomial Surveillance Network in The Netherlands

Objective.

To compare the number of surgical site infections (SSIs) registered after hospital discharge with respect to various surgical procedures and to identify the procedures for which postdischarge surveillance (PDS) is most important.

Design.

Prospective SSI surveillance with voluntary PDS. Recommended methods for PDS in the Dutch national nosocomial surveillance network are addition of a special registration card to the outpatient medical record, on which the surgeon notes clinical symptoms and whether a patient developed an SSI according to the definitions; an alternative method is examination of the outpatient medical record.

Setting.

Hospitals participating in the Dutch national nosocomial surveillance network between 1996 and 2004.

Results.

We collected data on 131,798 surgical procedures performed in 64 of the 98 Dutch hospitals. PDS was performed according to one of the recommended methods for 31,134 operations (24%) and according to another active method for 32,589 operations (25%), and passive PDS was performed for 68,075 operations (52%). Relatively more SSIs were recorded after discharge for cases in which PDS was performed according to a recommended method (43%), compared with cases in which another active PDS method was used (30%) and cases in which passive PDS was used (25%). The highest rate of SSI after discharge was found for appendectomy (79% of operations), followed by knee prosthesis surgery (64%), mastectomy (61%), femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass (53%), and abdominal hysterectomy (53%).

Conclusions.

For certain surgical procedures, most SSIs develop after discharge. SSI rates will be underestimated if no PDS is performed. We believe we have found a feasible and sensitive method for PDS that, if patients routinely return to the hospital for a postdischarge follow-up visit, might be suitable for use internationally.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in open inguinal hernia repair: a literature review and summary of current knowledge

More than 1 million inguinal hernia repairs are performed in Europe and the US annually. Although antibiotic prophylaxis is not required in clean, elective procedures, the routine use of implants (90% of inguinal hernia repairs are performed with mesh) makes the topic controversial. The European Hernia Society does not recommend routine antibiotic prophylaxis for elective inguinal hernia repairs. However, the latest randomized controlled trial, published by Mazaki et al., indicates that the use of prophylaxis is effective for the prevention of surgical site infection. Unnecessary prophylaxis contributes to the development of bacterial resistance and significantly increases healthcare costs. This review documents clinical trials on inguinal hernia repairs with mesh and summarizes the current knowledge. It also tries to solve certain problems, namely: what constitutes a real risk factor, late-onset infection, and how the "surgical environment" impacts on the need to use antibiotic prophylaxis.

Impact of Postdischarge Surveillance on Surgical Site Infection Rates for Several Surgical Procedures Results From the Nosocomial Surveillance Network in The Netherlands

Objective.

To compare the number of surgical site infections (SSIs) registered after hospital discharge with respect to various surgical procedures and to identify the procedures for which postdischarge surveillance (PDS) is most important.

Design.

Prospective SSI surveillance with voluntary PDS. Recommended methods for PDS in the Dutch national nosocomial surveillance network are addition of a special registration card to the outpatient medical record, on which the surgeon notes clinical symptoms and whether a patient developed an SSI according to the definitions; an alternative method is examination of the outpatient medical record.

Setting.

Hospitals participating in the Dutch national nosocomial surveillance network between 1996 and 2004.

Results.

We collected data on 131,798 surgical procedures performed in 64 of the 98 Dutch hospitals. PDS was performed according to one of the recommended methods for 31,134 operations (24%) and according to another active method for 32,589 operations (25%), and passive PDS was performed for 68,075 operations (52%). Relatively more SSIs were recorded after discharge for cases in which PDS was performed according to a recommended method (43%), compared with cases in which another active PDS method was used (30%) and cases in which passive PDS was used (25%). The highest rate of SSI after discharge was found for appendectomy (79% of operations), followed by knee prosthesis surgery (64%), mastectomy (61%), femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass (53%), and abdominal hysterectomy (53%).

Conclusions.

For certain surgical procedures, most SSIs develop after discharge. SSI rates will be underestimated if no PDS is performed. We believe we have found a feasible and sensitive method for PDS that, if patients routinely return to the hospital for a postdischarge follow-up visit, might be suitable for use internationally.

Postdischarge surveillance for infection following cesarean section: A prospective cohort study comparing methodologies

OBJECTIVE

To assess how enhanced postdischarge telephone follow-up calls would improve case finding for surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance after cesarean section.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of all patients who delivered by cesarean section between April 22 and August 22, 2010. In addition to our routine surveillance, using clinical databases and electronic patient records, we also made follow-up calls to the patients at 7, 14, and 30 days postoperation. A standard questionnaire with questions about symptoms of SSI, health-seeking behaviors, and treatment received was administered. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were performed to assess the effect of the enhanced surveillance.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-three patients underwent cesarean section during this study period. Standard surveillance identified 14 infections with telephone follow-ups identifying an additional 5 infections. Using the call as a gold standard, the sensitivity of the standard methodology to capture SSI was 73.3%. The duration of the calls ranged from 1 to 5 minutes and were well received by the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that follow-up telephone calls to patients following cesarean section identifies 26.3% of the total SSIs. Enhanced surveillance can provide more informed data to enhance performance and avoid underestimation of rates.

The use of nontreated mosquito-net mesh cloth for a tension free inguinal hernia repair: our experience

Introduction:

The prohibitive costs and scarcity of the imported prosthetic mesh for hernioplasty, has prevented its widespread use in most developing countries. We then set out to ascertain the outcome, complications (undue pain, wound infection, recurrence, and mesh extrusion) and cost implications in the use of a nontreated mosquito-net for inguinal hernioplasty.

Materials and Methods:

A prospective study of all consecutive adult patients with uncomplicated inguinal hernia who were admitted for open herniorrhaphy between January 2012 and December, 2013 at the Federal Medical Centre, Ido – Ekiti, South West, Nigeria. A sheet of the nontreated mosquito-net mesh 10 cm Χ 8 cm, autoclaved, a day prior to surgery was used for each patient's hernia repair. The operation sites were exposed and examined 3^rd and 6^th postoperative days. Findings were documented for analysis.

Result:

A total of 130 adult patients were recruited for this study of which 115 of the patients were males and 15 were females. Forty-four (41.53%) had inguinal hernia and 76 (58.46%) of them had inguinoscrotal hernia. They all had successful repair and were followed-up for complications for a period of 6 weeks to 6 months at the surgical out-patient department.

Conclusion:

Locally-sourced and autoclaved mosquito-net mesh is an effective alternative for hernioplasty especially in situations where commercial mesh is not readily available or affordable.

Short- and long-term outcomes of open inguinal hernia repair: comparison of the Prolene Hernia System and the Mesh Plug method

PURPOSE

Tension-free mesh repair of adult inguinal hernias has become a standard procedure, but there have been few comparisons of the postoperative outcome after hernia repair using the Prolene Hernia System (PHS) vs. the Mesh Plug (MP) method in a large number of patients from a single institution.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of patients to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes of the different types of hernia repair. Late symptoms were evaluated by questionnaire. A total of 1,141 repairs performed from 1999 to 2008 (PHS in 957 and MP in 184 repairs) were evaluated.

RESULTS

There were 93 early postoperative complications (8.2%). A subcutaneous hematoma was found more frequently after MP repair compared with after PHS repair (3.8 vs. 1.3%, P = 0.013). Seven hundred and ten patients (62.2%) could be followed up for more than 2 years. Recurrence was detected in 14 patients with PHS repair and two patients with MP repair (1.5 vs. 1.1%, P = 0.956). Wound infections occurred in three patients (0.3%) with PHS repair vs. none with MP repair (P > 0.999). Patients with PHS and MP repair showed no significant differences in the long-term wound pain.

CONCLUSIONS

The recurrence and wound infection rates were similar after hernia repair using the PHS and MP methods. Patients undergoing PHS repair developed fewer subcutaneous hematomas. An older age (≥65 years) was a significant independent risk factor for recurrence.

Surgical site infection of scrotal and inguinal lesions after urologic surgery

To clarify the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) after urological scrotal and inguinal surgical procedures and the preventive effect of antimicrobial prophylaxis for SSI, retrospective analysis was performed. The patients who underwent scrotal and inguinal operations from 2001 to 2010 were included in this analysis. A first or second generation cephalosporin was administered as antimicrobial prophylaxis just before the start of surgery and no additional prophylaxis was conducted. The surgery was classified into 76 (38%) cases with testicular sperm extraction (TESE), 72 (36%) with radical orchiectomy, 29 (14.5%) with bilateral orchiectomy (surgical castration) and 23 (11.5%) with other scrotal and inguinal operations. The median age and age range were 36 years and 18-81 years, respectively. SSI occurred in 7 (3.5%) cases. The frequencies of SSI were 6.5% in the patients with urological inguinal surgery and 1.6% in those with scrotal surgery. The frequency of SSI in the patients with urological inguinal surgery was not negligible even though it is considered a clean operation, and further analysis is warranted to prevent SSI.

Outcome of the patients with chronic mesh infection following open inguinal hernia repair

Purpose

Hernia repairs are the most common elective abdominal wall procedures performed by general surgeons. The use of a mesh has become the standard for hernia repair surgery. Herein, we discuss a management strategy for chronic mesh infections following open inguinal hernia repair with onlay prosthetic mesh.

Methods

In this study, 15 patients with chronic mesh infections following open inguinal hernia repairs were included. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed and information regarding presentation, type of previous hernia repair, type of mesh, operative findings and bacteriological examination results were obtained. In all cases, the infected mesh was removed completely and the patients were treated with antibiotic regimens and local wound care.

Results

Fifteen mesh removals due to chronic infection were performed between January 2000 and March 2012. The mean interval of hernia repair to mesh removal was 49 months. All patients were followed up for a median period of 62 months (range, 16 to 115 months). In all patients, the infections were resolved successfully and none were persistent or recurrent. However, one patient developed recurrent hernia and one developed nerve injury.

Conclusion

Chronic mesh infection following hernia repair mandates removal of the infected mesh, which rarely results in hernia recurrence.

Relationship between patients' reports of complications and symptoms, disability and quality of life after surgery

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported complications are increasingly being used to compare the performance of surgical departments. The objectives of this study were to explore the validity of patient-reported complications and to determine their influence on patients' reports of the benefits of surgery (health gain).

METHODS

This was an observational study of patients in England who underwent hip replacement (68,391), knee replacement (77,705), inguinal hernia repair (48,199) or varicose vein surgery (16,535) during 2009-2011. Health gain was assessed with condition-specific measures of symptoms and disability (Oxford Hip Score, Oxford Knee Score, Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D™ index) and a single item on the success of surgery. Adverse outcomes included four complications, readmission and further surgery.

RESULTS

There was evidence that patient-reported complications were valid. Patients with three or more co-morbid conditions reported more complications, whereas age, sex and socioeconomic status (adjusted for co-morbidity) had little, or no association. Complications were strongly associated with readmission and further surgery. Among patients reporting a complication, the Oxford Hip Score or Oxford Knee Score was about 3 points (or 15 per cent) lower than the value in patients not reporting a complication. The EQ-5D™ score was about 0·07 lower for joint replacement, 0·06 lower for hernia repair and 0·04 lower for varicose vein surgery.

CONCLUSION

Patients' reports of complications can be used for statistical comparisons of surgical departments. If the relationship between complications and health gain is causal, there is scope for improving health gain indicators after surgery by minimizing the risk of a complication.

Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in the prevention of postoperative complications after tension-free hernioplasty

BACKGROUND

Previous reviews of the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis for elective inguinal hernia repair were not conclusive owing to the limited number of patients enrolled in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, since new RCTs involving patients undergoing tention-free hernioplasty have been published in recent years, we performed a new meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxisin the prevention of postoperative complications after this procedure.

METHODS

We performed a meta-analysis of RCTs studying the use of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent postoperative complications in patients undergoing tension-free hernioplasty.

RESULTS

We included 6 RCTs conducted around the world in our analysis. Compared with the control condition, antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with a lower incidence of incision infection (odds ratio [OR] 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26-0.77, p = 0.004). There were no significant differences in risk for incision hematoma (OR 1.57, 95% CI 0.60-4.10, p = 0.35), respiratory infection (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.17-5.79, p > 0.99) or urinary tract infection (OR 1.81, 95% CI 0.38-8.52, p = 0.45) between the 2 conditions.

CONCLUSION

Antibiotic prophylaxis use in patients undergoing tension-free hernioplasty decreases the rate of incision infection by 55%.

Prophylactic antibiotic use in elective inguinal hernioplasty in a trauma center

PURPOSE

In this double-blind prospective randomized trial, our objective was to investigate the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing elective inguinal hernia surgery with mesh repair in a large-volume tertiary referral trauma center.

METHODS

Eligible patients were assigned randomly to either an antibiotic prophylaxis group or a control group. Patients in the prophylaxis group were given 1 g cefazolin by IV bolus injection whereas the placebo control group received an equal volume of sterile saline preoperatively. A Lichtenstein repair was done in all cases. The patients were examined for surgical site infection (SSI) and other postoperative local complications before discharge, and reexamined 3, 5, 7, and 30 days after discharge.

RESULTS

Groups were well matched for age, sex, coexisting diseases, ASA scores, type of hernia, type of anesthesia, duration of surgery. Incidence of infection was 7% in the control group (7/100) and 5% in the prophylaxis group (5/100) (P = 0.38). All the infections were superficial and responded well to drainage and proper antibiotic therapy. All other postoperative complications were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In our settings antibiotic prophylaxis has no significant effect on the incidence of SSI in elective repair of inguinal hernias with mesh. The most effective way to reduce the incidence of infection in prosthetic repair may be a specific center for treatment of abdominal wall hernias.

Infections associated with prosthetic repairs of abdominal wall hernias: pathology, management and results

PURPOSE

To analyse clinical and demographic factors of patients who suffered infection of the surgical site requiring mesh removal as a complication of prosthetic repairs, details of the hernioplasties in which meshes were implanted and their management and outcomes.

METHODS

Factors related to infection (demographic variables and characteristics of the repairs and mesh utilised) and the management before proceeding to mesh removal were obtained from patient charts. Collected specimens (meshes and tissues) from 32 consecutive patients were cultured and observed microscopically. The outcomes after mesh removal were prospectively evaluated.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients underwent incisional hernioplasties and ten inguinal hernioplasties; most of the procedures took a long time, and 28 patients presented early wound complications (seroma or haematoma). During the “implantation–removal” interval, some conservative treatments, such as drainages or sinus resection, were attempted under local anaesthesia. Twenty-two meshes were totally removed (nine after partial extraction); in the remaining ten cases partially removal was successful. Most of the meshes (24) were made of multi-filament polypropylene; microscopic observation of neighbouring tissues showed leucocyte infiltration, giant cell reaction, disorganisation of the collagen fibres and abscedation. Treatment of 32 patients required 51 operations. Following mesh removal, there were six recurrences and two fistulas of the bowel. The average follow-up was 40 months (30–97).

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the infections requiring mesh removal were related to prolonged repair operations that presented untreated early postoperative wound complications. Partial extraction of meshes frequently leads to failures and complications. Surgical exploration should be performed under general anaesthesia to accomplish complete mesh extraction.

Prospective randomized evaluation of prophylactic antibiotic usage in patients undergoing tension free inguinal hernioplasty

OBJECTIVES

Assessment of the usefulness of antibiotic prophylaxis in inguinal hernioplasty.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective randomized double blind study was conducted on 98 patients. Group A (50 patients) received a single dose of intravenous amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, and Group P (48 patients) received an equal volume of normal saline placebo by intravenous bolus 30 min before the induction of anesthesia. Hernioplasty was performed with polypropylene mesh. Skin was closed using skin staples that were removed after complete wound healing. The surgical site infection was diagnosed according to APIC, CDC criteria ( http://www.apic.org ).

RESULTS

The mean operative time was 38.8  ± 10.8 min in group A versus 40.9 ± 11.1 min in group P (P  = 0.34). The mean hospitalization time was 1.3 ± 0.463 days in group A versus 1.25 ± 0.438 days in group P (P = 0.58). Four patients (2%) in group A and 6 patients (2.88%) in group P had wound infections (P = 0.47). Group A had 3 superficial infections and 1 deep infection while group P had 5 superficial infections and 1 deep infection. Antibiotic treatment of the wound infection was successful in all patients. Wound culture showed Staphylococcus aureus infection in 1 patient each group, Streptococcus pyogenes in 1 group A patient and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 1 group P patient. Cultures in other patients in both groups were reported to be sterile.

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic antibiotic usage in patients undergoing tension free inguinal hernioplasty did not show any statistically significant beneficial effects in reduction of surgical site infection.

National surveillance of surgical-site infection through register-based analysis of antibiotic use after inguinal hernia repair

BACKGROUND

Systematic surveillance of surgical-site infections is not standard. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the feasibility of using existing national health registers for surveillance of postoperative antibiotic treatment suggestive of surgical-site infection.

METHODS

Data from national registers on hospital admissions and drug use were combined. Antibiotic purchases by 8856 patients subject to ambulatory care for inguinal hernia repair in Sweden during 2006 were ascertained during a 30-day interval immediately after surgery (postsurgical period) and in an 11-month control period (6 months before and 5 months after the postsurgical period).

RESULTS

The incidence of first purchases of skin and soft tissue antibiotics was 245 per 8697 person-months in the first postoperative month and 180 per 52 612 person-months in the preoperative control period, representing a 1-month risk difference of 2.4 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 2.0 to 2.7) per cent. Hence, a 1-month risk of 2.4 per cent could be attributed tentatively to the surgery. The rate of episodes with antibiotics used mainly for skin and soft tissue infection was sevenfold higher in the first postoperative month than in the control period (rate ratio 7.01, 95 per cent c.i. 5.94 to 8.27).

CONCLUSION

The risk of antibiotic treatment during the postsurgical period was of the same order of magnitude as infection rates reported in the Swedish Hernia Register and review studies. Surveillance of postoperative antibiotic use may be considered as a resource-saving surrogate marker for surgical-site infections or an indicator of inappropriate use.

Prophylactic antibiotics in open mesh repair of inguinal hernia - a randomized controlled trial

The role of prophylactic antibiotics in mesh repair of inguinal hernia is unclear. A Cochrane meta-analysis in 2005 concluded that "antibiotic prophylaxis for elective inguinal hernia repair cannot be firmly recommended or discarded" and "further studies are needed, particularly on the use for mesh repair." So, we designed a study to define the role of prophylactic antibiotics in mesh repair of inguinal hernia. We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind, trial comparing wound infection rates in 450 patients (225 received intravenous Cefazolin, 225 received a placebo) undergoing primary inguinal hernia repair electively using polypropylene mesh. 334 patients who completed a followup period of one month were analyzed. Age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, type of hernia, type of anesthesia, grade of surgeon, pre and postoperative hospital stay and duration of operation were recorded. CDC criteria was used to define wound infection. Groups were well matched for all preoperative variables studied. The overall infection rate was 8.7% (29 out of 334). The incidence of wound infection in antibiotic group was 7% and 10.5% in control group. One from each group developed deep surgical site infection. Most of the infections occurred between the 7th and 12th post-operative day after discharge from the hospital. Antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with decreased incidence of wound infection when compared to control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Based on our results we do not recommend the routine use of antibiotic prophylaxis in elective mesh repair of inguinal hernias.

Self-reported adverse events after groin hernia repair, a study based on a national register

OBJECTIVES

In most clinics, follow-up after inguinal hernia surgery is not a routine procedure and complications may pass unnoticed, thus impairing quality assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, spectrum, and risk factors of short-term adverse events after groin hernia repair.

METHODS

All patients aged 15 years or older with a primary unilateral inguinal or femoral hernia repair recorded in the Swedish Hernia Register (SHR) between November 1 and December 31, 2002 were sent a questionnaire asking about complications within the first 30 postoperative days.

RESULTS

Of the 1643 recorded patients, 1448 (88.1%) responded: 1341 (92.6%) were men and 107 (7.4%) women, mean age 59 years. There were 195 (11.9%) nonresponders. Postoperative complications reported in the questionnaire were hematoma in 203 (14.0%) patients, severe pain in 168 (11.6%), testicular pain in 120 (8.3%), and infection in 105 (7.3%). Adverse events were reported in the questionnaire by 391 (23.8%) patients, whereas only 85 (5.2%) were affected according to the SHR. Risk factors for postoperative complications were age below the median (59 years) among the studied hernia patients (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.06-1.74) and laparoscopic repair (OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.17-6.05).

CONCLUSION

Questionnaires provide valuable additional information concerning postoperative complications. We recommend that they become an integrated part of routine postoperative assessment.

Postprocedural Necrotizing Fasciitis: A 10-Year Retrospective Review

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe soft tissue infection, which has a reported 25 per cent to 60 per cent mortality rate. In addition, NF has been reported to occur after invasive procedures. We present a 10-year retrospective study on postprocedural NF and its differences with community-acquired NF. A retrospective study was conducted from 1996 to 2006. Charts were searched using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision codes for NF and gas gangrene. Patients who developed NF in the area of their previous procedure without any other inciting cause of the NF were deemed eligible for the study. Eleven patients met eligibility criteria. Seven patients’ initial procedures were elective, whereas four were semiemergent. The median age was 48 years (range, 24–81 years). The time between the initial procedure and operation for NF varied from 3 days to over 3 months. No single laboratory value helped in diagnosing NF. Sixteen different bacteria were isolated from the 11 patients. Ten of 11 patients required multiple débridements. There were four mortalities, three of whom had comorbidities known to predispose to infection. NF is a rare but serious complication after invasive procedures. As a result of important differences that exist between postprocedural and community-acquired NF, we propose that postprocedural NF should be classified in its own subcategory.

Are we really seeing the total costs of surgical site infections? A Spanish study

To identify overall costs generated by surgical site infections (SSI) patients, including indirect costs. A prospective study of case series of patients who have undergone major surgical treatment was undertaken. Patients who suffered SSI were compared with controls (nested case-control design). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions were followed and SSI established. Overall costs and indirect related morbidity/mortality costs were estimated. The study was performed in a general, tertiary hospital (Valencia, Spain) for 4.5 years. Surgical site infections patients were 9.02% of the total people who underwent surgery. Their stays were prolonging by 14 days, and resources were used more intensely and for longer periods than in controls. Excess hospital costs were $10,232 per patient of which 37% corresponded to prolonged stays. Health costs only accounted for 10% of overall costs; $97,433 per patient including indirect social costs. Studies merely assessing excess costs due to prolonged stays of SSI patients do not reflect the entire scenario as they simply represent 35% of real hospital costs. A comprehensive appraisal shows that total healthcare expenditures represent a tenth of overall costs, which strengthens the claims that investment in preventing SSI would be highly cost-effective.

Prophylactic antibiotics for mesh inguinal hernioplasty: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis in mesh hernioplasty.

BACKGROUND

Antibiotic prophylaxis use in mesh inguinal hernioplasty is controversial. Available evidence is nonconclusive because of the low number of clinical trials assessing its effectiveness. Some trials have a small sample size that could overestimate or underestimate the real effectiveness of this intervention. Meta-analysis is a good method to improve these methodological flaws.

METHODS

Meta-analysis intended to measure the benefits of antibiotic prophylaxis on surgical site infection rate in adult patients scheduled for mesh inguinal hernioplasty. Six randomized clinical trials were found. Quality was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 2507 patients were analyzed. Surgical site infection frequency was 1.38% in the antibiotic group versus 2.89% in the control group (odds ratio = 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.27-0.85). There was no statistical heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis by quality did not show differences in overall results.

CONCLUSION

Antibiotic prophylaxis use in patients submitted to mesh inguinal hernioplasty decreased the rate of surgical site infection by almost 50%.

Treatment of asymptomatic inguinal hernias

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common operations in general surgery with rates of repair ranging from 10 per 10,000 population in the United Kingdom to 28 per 10,000 in the United States. Most inguinal hernias cause mild to moderate discomfort, which increases with activity. Up to one-third of the patients with an inguinal hernia scheduled for surgery have an asymptomatic swelling. Inguinal hernias are a significant socioeconomic burden with direct costs to the health service and indirect costs to the economy due to time off work following operation. In addition, the morbidity associated with the operation is often underestimated. Therefore, it is important to critically review the risks and complications related to inguinal hernia repair in those with minimal symptoms to formulate the best management strategy for these patients.

US of acute scrotal trauma: optimal technique, imaging findings, and management

The primary causes of scrotal trauma are blunt, penetrating, degloving, and electrical burn injuries to scrotal contents. Knowledge of the scrotal anatomy and appropriate imaging techniques are key for accurate evaluation of scrotal injuries. Ultrasonography (US) is the first-line imaging modality to help guide therapy for scrotal trauma, except in degloving injury, which results in scrotal skin avulsion. Blunt injury (eg, from an athletic accident or motor vehicle collision) is the most common cause of scrotal trauma, followed by penetrating injury from gunshot or other assault. Trauma often may result in hematoma, hydrocele, hematocele, testicular fracture, or testicular rupture. The timely diagnosis of rupture, based on a US finding of discontinuity of the echogenic tunica albuginea, is critical because emergent surgery results in salvage of the testis in 80%-90% of rupture cases. The radiologist should be familiar also with other nuances associated with penetrating trauma, iatrogenic and postoperative complications, and electrical injury. Color flow and duplex Doppler imaging are highly useful techniques not only for assessing testicular viability and perfusion but also for evaluating associated vascular injuries such as pseudoaneurysms. A thorough familiarity with the US findings of scrotal trauma helps facilitate appropriate management. Supplemental material available at radiographics.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/full/27/2/357/DC1.

The analysis of infection after polypropylene mesh repair of abdominal wall hernia

AIM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of superficial and prosthetic mesh infection following polypropylene mesh repair of different abdominal wall hernia in individual patients and to analyze the manifestation, clinical process and outcomes in patients with prosthetic mesh infection.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of 375 patients with 423 implanted meshes for groin, femoral, umbilical, incisional and epigastric hernias, with a mean follow-up of 15 months (range: 3-73 months).

RESULTS

The total superficial infection rate was 1.65%, and the rate of mesh infection was 0.94%. There were no statistically significant differences in prosthetic mesh infection between monofilament and multifilament meshes as well as between the different repair groups of hernias. The deep incisional surgical site infection after previous operation was established as a significant risk factor for prosthetic mesh infection in incisional hernia repair (P < 0.0001). Five cases of prosthetic mesh infection were presented and analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no correlation between the superficial and prosthetic mesh infection. There may be difficulties in determining mesh infection and to choose the right tactic. The reconvalescence in all patients with mesh infection was achieved only after removal of the infected mesh.

The effect of tobacco consumption and body mass index on complications and hospital stay after inguinal hernia surgery

BACKGROUND

The extent to which lifestyle factors such as tobacco consumption and obesity affect the outcome after inguinal hernia surgery has been poorly studied. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of smoking, smokeless tobacco consumption and obesity on postoperative complications after inguinal hernia surgery. The second aim was to evaluate the effect of tobacco consumption and obesity on the length of hospital stay.

METHODS

A cohort of 12,697 Swedish construction workers with prospectively collected exposure data on tobacco consumption and body mass index (BMI) from 1968 onward were linked to the Swedish inpatient register. Information on inguinal hernia procedures was collected from the inpatient register. Any postoperative complication occurring within 30 days was registered. In addition to this, the length of hospitalization was calculated. The risk of postoperative complications due to tobacco exposure and BMI was estimated using a multiple logistic regression model and the length of hospital stay was estimated in a multiple linear regression model.

RESULTS

After adjusting for the other covariates in the multivariate analysis, current smokers had a 34% (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.04, 1.72) increased risk of postoperative complications compared to never smokers. Use of "Swedish oral moist snuff" (snus) and pack-years of tobacco smoking were not found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. BMI was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications (P = 0.04). This effect was mediated by the underweighted group (OR 2.94; 95% CI 1.15, 7.51). In a multivariable model, increased BMI was also found to be significantly associated with an increased mean length of hospital stay (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant association between smoking or using snus, and the mean length of hospitalization after adjusting for the other covariates in the model.

CONCLUSION

Smoking increases the risk of postoperative complications even in minor surgery such as inguinal hernia procedures. Obesity increases hospitalization after inguinal hernia surgery. The Swedish version of oral moist tobacco, snus, does not seem to affect the complication rate after hernia surgery at all.