Early repair of ventral incisional hernia may improve quality of life after surgery for abdominal malignancy: a prospective observational cohort study

Purpose Recent work has shown that over 40% of patients undergoing surgery for abdominal malignancy develop ventral incisional hernias (VIH) within 2 years. We hypothesized that early repair of VIH for cancer survivors could improve long-term quality of life (QoL). Methods All patients presenting with a history of surgery for abdominal malignancy and a VIH were prospectively enrolled. QoL was assessed at baseline and 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month follow-up using abdominal wall-specific (HerQLes) and cancer-specific (FACT-G) instruments. At the study’s conclusion, patients were divided into 2 groups—those that underwent VIH repair during the study’s course (Repair Group) and those that did not (Control Group). Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-square and continuous variables with Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results Eighty-four patients were enrolled. Overall, 46 patients (55%) underwent VIH repair, with 36 repairs (78%) occurring within 3 months of initial evaluation. Sixty-six (79%) had complete 1-year follow-up data, and 30 (36%) had 2-year data, with a median follow-up duration of 15.6 months. At baseline, both groups were similar with respect to demographics, cancer stage, and HerQLes/FACT-G scores. Compared to the Controls, the Repair Group showed greater improvements over baseline HerQLes Summary Scores at the 3-, 6-, 12-, and 18-month time points (median increase, 37 vs. 26 points), and in FACT-G total scores at the 3-, 6-, and 12-month time points (median increase, 6 vs. 4 points). Conclusions Repair of VIH after surgery for abdominal malignancy may improve abdominal wall-specific and cancer-specific QoL, making post-resection abdominal wall reconstruction an important aspect of cancer survivorship.