Component Separation Technique: an Effective Way of Treating Large Ventral Hernia

Abstract

Repair of large ventral hernia is a challenge for even experienced surgeons, as there are large defects with large contents, often with loss of domain. The large defects were bridged by various plastic surgical procedures like myofascial flaps or free flaps with high recurrences and complications. More often, the bridging was done with artificial prosthesis, leaving the defects open. This was accomplished by either open surgery (onlay, inlay, sublay or underlay) or laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay meshes (IPOMs). However, non-closure of the midline had adverse effects on postural maintenance, respiration, micturition, defecation and biomechanical properties, which have a profound impact on the patients' overall physical capacity and quality of life. Component separation technique (CST) is a novel answer to the closure of midline with live, active tissues with or without the use of additional prosthesis. Though this technique was originally described in 1990, it has undergone lots of modifications like perforator preserving CST, endoscopic technique and posterior component separation. So, we present a series of 22 patients with large ventral hernia repaired using various options of component separation technique in the last 3 years.

Keywords: Component separation technique; Large ventral hernia; Posterior component separation; Ventral hernia.

Fig. 1

A case of large ventral hernia with preoperative marking of linea semilunaris

Fig. 2

Closure of the midline after anterior CST

Fig. 3

Endoscopic component separation technique in ventral hernia repair