The “Corset Repair” for Complex Hernia: A Proof-of-concept Report of an Innovative Approach

Incisional hernias, especially those below the arcuate line, pose a unique challenge to reconstructive surgeons, as no consensus exists for repair strategy. An innovative approach is presented and illustrated. The “corset repair” involves placing an onlay mesh partially beneath released bilateral external obliques. A detailed technical review is provided to illustrate the benefits of this technique particularly in large defects and in hernia after abdominal flap harvest. Hernia recurrence and surgical site occurrence rates were reviewed and analyzed for a cohort of corset repair patients between December 2016 and January 2020. Twenty patients were included. All defects were successfully closed. Zero patients experienced hernia recurrence. Eight patients (40%) had a surgical site occurrence, of which 5 (63%) were either observed or managed non-operatively. Two of the surgical site occurrences were deep surgical site infections: 1 required surgical intervention for suspected mesh infection and the other did not. One patient (5%) developed hematoma 23 months post-operatively. The “corset repair” technique represents a modification to a classic technique for hernia repair. It is feasible and may be advantageous especially for large or challenging repairs below the arcuate line. It has promising results on early follow-up, and further research is needed to evaluate long-term efficacy.