Association of Seroma Formation in Ventral Hernia Repair: An Analysis of Gender, Body Mass Index and Hernia Defect Size

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between patient characteristics and the development of postoperative seroma following ventral hernia repair.

Study Design: Observational / descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Al-Basrah Teaching Hospital between 1st March 2024 and 31st August 2024.

Methods: One hundred and twenty four patients diagnosed with ventral hernias undergoing treatment and age between 28-78 years was enrolled. The patients’ demographic criteria, body mass index, waist circumference, comorbidities, postoperative seroma formation, and hernia type were evaluated. All patients were followed up for six weeks after surgery.

Results: There were predominance of females 71% and males 29%. A significant proportion of the participants over 40 years of age constituted the majority of the cohort. Nearly half of the patients were obese, and almost half of the patients presented with umbilical hernia; nearly half of the patients developed post-operative seroma. Patients with larger hernia defect sizes developed postoperative seroma significantly more often than the others.

Conclusion: Seroma formation after ventral hernia repair is frequent but often self-limiting. The incidence varies due to many factors, such as technique, preventive strategies, and the size of the hernia defect, which is critical to mitigating morbidity.