TY - JOUR

T1 - Incisional hernia repair in women of childbearing age

T2 - A nationwide propensity-score matched study

AU - Oma, E.

AU - Jensen, K. K.

AU - Jorgensen, L. N.

AU - Bisgaard, T.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Background & Aims: Although incisional hernia repair in women of childbearing age is not rare, hernia disease in this group of patients is sparsely documented. The aim of this study was to examine long-term clinical results after incisional hernia repair in women of childbearing age. Material and methods: This nationwide cohort study examined incisional hernia repair from 2007 to 2013 in women of childbearing age, registered prospectively in the Danish Ventral Hernia Database. All women with a subsequent pregnancy were included, and a 1:3 propensity-score matched group of women with an incisional hernia repair without a subsequent pregnancy. A prospective follow-up was conducted, including a validated questionnaire. The primary outcome was recurrence, and the secondary outcome was chronic pain from the operated site. Results: In total, 124 (70.5%) women responded, 47 and 77 women with and without a subsequent pregnancy, respectively. The 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence was 41.0% (95% confidence interval 32.0%–49.9%). After adjustment for potential confounders, subsequent pregnancy was independently associated with recurrence (hazard ratio 1.83, 95% confidence interval 1.02–3.29, p = 0.044). Twenty-six (21.0%) women reported chronic pain (moderate, n = 21; severe, n = 5) with no difference between women with and without a subsequent pregnancy. Hernia recurrence, higher body mass index, and smoking were associated with chronic pain. Conclusion: Pregnancy following incisional hernia repair was associated with an increased risk of recurrence, but not with chronic pain.

AB - Background & Aims: Although incisional hernia repair in women of childbearing age is not rare, hernia disease in this group of patients is sparsely documented. The aim of this study was to examine long-term clinical results after incisional hernia repair in women of childbearing age. Material and methods: This nationwide cohort study examined incisional hernia repair from 2007 to 2013 in women of childbearing age, registered prospectively in the Danish Ventral Hernia Database. All women with a subsequent pregnancy were included, and a 1:3 propensity-score matched group of women with an incisional hernia repair without a subsequent pregnancy. A prospective follow-up was conducted, including a validated questionnaire. The primary outcome was recurrence, and the secondary outcome was chronic pain from the operated site. Results: In total, 124 (70.5%) women responded, 47 and 77 women with and without a subsequent pregnancy, respectively. The 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence was 41.0% (95% confidence interval 32.0%–49.9%). After adjustment for potential confounders, subsequent pregnancy was independently associated with recurrence (hazard ratio 1.83, 95% confidence interval 1.02–3.29, p = 0.044). Twenty-six (21.0%) women reported chronic pain (moderate, n = 21; severe, n = 5) with no difference between women with and without a subsequent pregnancy. Hernia recurrence, higher body mass index, and smoking were associated with chronic pain. Conclusion: Pregnancy following incisional hernia repair was associated with an increased risk of recurrence, but not with chronic pain.

KW - childbearing age

KW - chronic pain

KW - hernia recurrence

KW - Incisional hernia repair

KW - pregnancy

KW - ventral hernia repair

U2 - 10.1177/1457496919874482

DO - 10.1177/1457496919874482

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31510874

AN - SCOPUS:85073822122

VL - 109

SP - 295

EP - 300

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Surgery

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Surgery

SN - 1457-4969

IS - 4

ER -