How to prevent ventral hernia wound infection after the surgery?

What is Ventral hernia?

Ventral hernia or Incisional hernia as it is often called is a common surgical problem when we come across worldwide. The protrusion of the abdominal contents of the bowel or the fatty apron over the bowels called omentum. The defect in the abdominal wall has occurred due to defective healing of an incision over the abdomen. This forms the hernia.

What causes a ventral hernia?

Most of the ventral hernias occur in the midline of the front wall of the abdomen from below the breast bone to above the pubic bone. But these hernias can occur in the sides, back, or anywhere there is incision and defective healing.

The abdominal fascia heals in about twelve weeks from the day of surgery through the skin heals in two weeks. In this healing process, the nutritional factors such as albumin levels, hemoglobin levels along with micronutrients such as chromium, zinc, selenium, and vitamin C, etc are essential.

How can a surgeon prevent a ventral hernia?

The surgeon checks the patients nutritional status before elective surgery and, when there is time available, these deficiencies are to be fixed before the surgery, so that the healing process will smoothly take place. The Patient is also advised to take deep breathing exercises sometimes with the help of an incentive spirometer to avoid postoperative respiratory problems and improve the supply of oxygen to the tissues.

Particular attention is always paid to correct known problems such as,

Cough
Constipation
Straining at passing stools or urine
Prostate gland problems in the elderly males
Lifting heavy weights with strain, and any other activity that increases the pressure inside the abdomen.

During the postoperative period, the surgeon pays attention to all the above-mentioned factors, and corrective action is to be taken promptly. Abdominal belt support is also given during the postoperative period for up to three months which is the collagen healing phase.

Do ventral hernias occur despite all such efforts?

Despite all these efforts, some persons have genetically weak collagen in their bodies, and these people are more prone to develop hernias than others. There is more occurrence of ventral hernias following emergency surgeries compared to elective surgeries, as later we have enough time to take adequate precautions to prevent hernias.

The Incidence of ventral hernia

The incidence of ventral hernias is around 10 % overall. The incidence varies in various populations. Another important factor that leads to ventral hernia is postoperative wound infection. Surgical site infection leads to the weakening of the tissues and poor healing. Utmost care to be taken to prevent infections like proper skin preparation, one dose of prophylactic antibiotics before the start of surgery, keeping the patient warm and preventing hypothermia during surgery, and keeping the blood sugar levels between 120-150 mg/dl during the immediate postoperative period. These are some of the important measures taken by the doctors to prevent infections and thereby later hernias.

Our Expert Hernia Team

With adequate understanding and education of the patients and their families, we can keep the occurrence of ventral hernias to the least levels. It is teamwork involving the surgeon, his team, the patient, and their families. Together we can.

We have assembled our Dr. Rengan’s Home of Healing Surgical Center, a team highly trained in hernia treatment. We also perform a wide variety of other abdominal procedures including laparoscopic gallbladder removal and open abdominal cancer. I am very proud to say that in our elective surgeries we take the best effort to avoid ventral hernias incidence is one of the lowest in the country. So you must approach trained hernia surgeons to solve your hernia issue.

Dr. Rengan is one of the foremost hernia surgeon in chennai who has operated thousands of successful hernia surgeries over the past 30 years. He is a former army surgeon who completed his surgical training from the prestigious AFMC. He currently lives and operates in Chennai, West Mambalam. Check your nearest Hernia Surgery Center here !!

Love,
Dr (Major) R S Rengan MS, DNB, FAIS, DLS (France)
Consultant General, Laparoscopic and Hernia Surgeon
Founder & Chief Surgeon HoH Surgical Centre & Chennai Hernia Centre