Incisional hernia after ovarian debulking surgery.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our study was to explore the incidence and contributing variables of an incisional hernia after debulking surgery for advanced ovarian cancer.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The imaging of patients who underwent debulking surgery with an extended vertical incision was re-evaluated for incisional hernias at one-year follow-up, and their medical records were reviewed. We performed univariate and multivariate analysis to find out the risk factors for an incisional hernia.

RESULTS

The overall annual incidence of incisional hernia was 26.7 percent (46 of 172). Univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between age, body mass index (BMI), and the length of the incision and the incidence of an incisional hernia. The only factor identified by multivariate analysis as being independently related with the development of an incisional hernia within a year of the operation was BMI (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Incisional hernia rates were high after ovarian cancer surgeries, and BMI was the independent factor significantly linked to hernia formation. To reduce the high ratio of incisional hernia among these group of patients, preventative strategies should be researched and applied.