From the Research
The incidence of ventral hernia repair among older patients is approximately 4% in patients over 80 years old, with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality compared to younger patients. According to the study by 1, the incidence of ventral hernia repair in older patients is a significant concern, with 4% of patients undergoing ventral hernia repair being over 80 years old. The study found that older patients had higher rates of overall morbidity, serious morbidity, and mortality compared to younger patients, with odds ratios of 1.4,1.6, and 3.5, respectively. Some key factors that contribute to the increased incidence of ventral hernia repair in older patients include:
- Weakening of abdominal wall tissues
- Loss of muscle mass
- Increased intra-abdominal pressure from conditions like chronic cough or constipation
- Higher rates of previous abdominal surgeries
- Comorbidities common in older adults such as obesity, diabetes, and malnutrition A more recent study by 2 found that older adults undergoing ventral hernia repair demonstrate equal gains in hernia-related quality of life compared to younger patients and actually report higher quality of life scores at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year post-surgery. However, another study by 3 found that surgical site occurrences, not body mass index, increase the long-term risk of ventral hernia recurrence, highlighting the importance of careful perioperative management in older patients. Overall, the decision to perform ventral hernia repair in older patients should be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual patient's risk factors and potential benefits of surgery.