Clinical Report: Female Patients Experience Higher Complication Rates Yet Report Enhanced Quality of Life Following Elective Ventral Hernia Repair

Overview

This study evaluates the impact of patient sex on postoperative outcomes and quality of life following elective ventral hernia repair. Female patients experienced higher complication rates compared to male patients.

Background

Elective ventral hernia repair is a common surgical procedure in the United States, with a significant number of women undergoing these operations. Understanding sex-specific outcomes is crucial for setting patient expectations and improving care. Previous studies have highlighted disparities in complications, but comprehensive evaluations of patient-reported quality of life have been lacking.

Data Highlights

No numerical data was provided in the source material.

Key Findings

• Women accounted for nearly half of the ventral hernia repairs performed annually in the U.S.
• Female patients exhibited higher rates of postoperative complications compared to male patients.
• Despite higher complication rates, women reported larger improvements in quality of life scores at 30 days and 1 year post-surgery.
• Sex-related differences in outcomes may assist in establishing patient expectations and guiding risk counseling.
• Prior studies have indicated that favorable surgical outcomes have traditionally been defined by the absence of pain and recurrence.

Clinical Implications

Surgeons should consider sex as a significant factor when counseling patients about the risks and benefits of elective ventral hernia repair.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that while female patients face higher complication rates after elective ventral hernia repair, they also report enhanced quality of life improvements.

Related Resources & Content

1. Surgical Endoscopy, 2026 -- Women have more complications but better reported quality of life after elective ventral hernia repair
2. Factors Influencing Surgical Complications in Ventral Hernia Repair, 2018
3. Hernia, 2019 -- The Role of Female Gender as a Distinct Risk Factor for Chronic Pain After Elective Incisional Hernia Repair
4. Updated guideline for closure of abdominal wall incisions from the European and American Hernia Societies, BJS, 2022
5. Surgical Endoscopy — Mesh placement and patient-reported outcomes in primary ventral hernia repair: a nationwide survey- and register-based study
6. Hernia — Potential and feasibility of preoptimisation in ventral hernia repair- a focus group study
7. oup.silverchair-cdn.com
8. Updated guideline for closure of abdominal wall incisions from the European and American Hernia Societies | BJS | Oxford Academic
9. Women have more complications but better reported quality of life after elective ventral hernia repair | Surgical Endoscopy | Springer Nature Link
10. From preoperative to postoperative: gender differences in elective ventral hernia repair | Hernia | Springer Nature Link
11. Impact of surgical approach on complications by sex following ventral and incisional hernia repair - PMC
12. Impact of sex on ventral hernia repair outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis - ScienceDirect
13. Ventral hernia is a chronic disease: a systematic review of long-term outcomes beyond 5 years - PubMed
14. Establishing the minimal clinically important difference for the Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes)