Presentación y evolución clínica de las hernias externas incarceradas en pacientes adultos

Is Histopathological Evaluation of Hernia Sacs Necessary?

BACKGROUND

Our aim was to investigate the pathologies in the hernia sac in adults, and the frequency of malignancy as well as to confirm the necessity of maintaining the current applications in histological examination of the hernia sac.

METHODS

Patients who were operated for hernia in our clinic from 2013 to 2019 were included in the study. Patient data were evaluated retrospectively. We divided the patients into four groups, according to the type of hernia. We evaluated the demographic characteristics of the patients, the pathologies within the hernia sac, histopathological examination outcomes of the hernia sac and clinical features of malignancy in patients with malignancy.

RESULTS

A total number of 556 adult patients underwent inguinal, femoral, umbilical or incisional hernia repair in our hospital. Nine patients (0.61%) had malignancy in the hernia sac. Three out of nine patients (33%) had no preoperative diagnosis of malignancy. Six patients (67%) had a known history of malignancy. Two tumors were located in the inguinal (22.0%), six tumors in the incisional (67%), and one in the umbilical (11%) hernia sacs. Among these, 56% were of gastrointestinal, 22% of gynecological, 11% of breast and 11% of epididymis origin. Most of the other pathologies found in the hernia sac were herniated bowel segments, lipomas and omentum.

CONCLUSION

Since the hernia sac might be the first clue for an underlying cancer, if abnormal pathological findings are detected during surgery, histopathological examination should be performed to exclude malignancy. The purpose of histological examination is to detect a hidden malignancy.

Outcomes of Emergent Incisional Hernia Repair

This study examines the effect of emergent repair on incisional hernia repair outcomes at 16 Veteran's Affairs Medical Centers between 1998 and 2002. Of the 1452 cases reviewed, 63 (4.3%) were repaired emergently. Patients undergoing emergent repair were older ( P = 0.02), more likely to be black ( P = 0.02), and have congestive heart failure ( P = 0.001) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( P = 0.001). Of emergent repairs, 76.2 per cent involved intestinal incarceration versus 7.2 per cent of elective repairs ( P < 0.0001), and 17.5 per cent had concomitant bowel resection compared with 3.9 per cent of elective cases ( P < 0.0001). Patients undergoing emergent repair were also more likely to receive primary suture repair (49.2 vs 31.1%, P = 0.003), develop a postoperative complication (26.0 vs 11.3%, P = 0.002), and have increased postoperative length of stay (7 vs 4 days, P < 0.0001). There were nine (14.3%) deaths at 30 days for the emergent group compared with 10 (0.7%) in the elective group ( P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between emergent and elective repairs in long-term complications. Emergent hernia repair is associated with increased mortality rates, early complications, and longer length of stay; however, long-term outcomes are equivalent to elective cases. These data suggest that technical outcomes for emergent repairs approach those of elective operations.

Risk of death after emergency repair of abdominal wall hernias. Still waiting for improvement

PURPOSE

The precise importance of factors affecting morbidity and mortality in patients with complicated abdominal wall hernias undergoing emergency surgical repair has been not completely elucidated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective multicentric study of all patients (n = 402) with abdominal wall hernia who underwent urgent operations over 1-year period was conducted in ten hospitals. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate variables that affect morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

Thirty-five percent of patients had inguinal hernia, 22% femoral hernia, 20% umbilical hernia, and 15% incisional hernia. Mesh repair was used in 92.5% of cases. Intestinal resection was required in 49 patients. Perioperative complications occurred in 130 patients, and 18 patients died (mortality rate 4.5%). Complications and mortality rate were significantly higher in the group of intestinal resection. Patients older than 70 years also showed more complications, required intestinal resection more frequently, and had a higher mortality rate than younger patients. In the logistic regression analysis, age over 70 years, intestinal resection, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) III/IV class emerged as independent predictors of a poor outcome. Based in our results, we propose a simple schema to calculate risk of death in these patients.

CONCLUSION

Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, probabilities of death after complicated abdominal wall hernia surgery are increased in patients with: age over 70 years, high ASA class, and associated intestinal resection. Guidelines should be developed to improve prognosis in these patients.

[Strangulated hernia. Still fatal in the XXI century?]

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge of the risk factors that may lead to complications after emergency hernia repair is of great importance, as much for the prioritisation of the elective surgery, as selecting those cases that require clinical follow up.

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the factors conditioning the morbidity and mortality of bowel resection associated to emergency hernia repair.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

A retrospective review was carried out on the clinical histories of patients who had emergency operations for hernia problems from January 2000 to December of 2005. The clinical results obtained were compared based on whether or not a bowel resection was required.

RESULTS

A total of 2367 patients were operated for hernia in this period, 362 of them (15.3%); for a complicated hernia (mean age 69.5 years; 146 males/216 females); 60 patients needed bowel resection. Complications appeared in 108 patients (29.8%) and 17 (4.7%) died after operation. The limit of 70 years discriminated a significantly greater mortality (> 70: 7% vs < 70 2%; p = 0.01). The group of patients who needed bowel resection showed differences in statistical analysis both in age (75.4 vs 68.3 years; p = 0.002), prevalence of complications (40.7% vs 6.2%; p < 0.0001), and mortality (20% vs 1.6%; p < 0.0001). The discriminant analysis identified bowel resection as the only predictive independent variable of mortality (lambda Wilks = 0.89; p = 0.0001; predictive value, 85%).

CONCLUSIONS

Morbidity and the mortality of urgent hernia surgery, when bowel resection was required, are elevated; especially in older patients, and in crural hernias.