To evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of prophylactic Sugarbaker mesh placement during laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (APR) in preventing parastomal hernia (PSH) over a follow-up period of up to 4 years.
Approach:
Study Design: An ambispective observational cohort study conducted at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, comparing outcomes of patients undergoing laparoscopic APR with and without prophylactic mesh placement.
Patient Selection: Patients aged 18 and older undergoing elective laparoscopic APR for lower rectal cancer were included, with a historical cohort from 2018-2021 (non-mesh group) and a prospective cohort from 2021-2025 (mesh group).
Surgical Technique: All procedures were performed laparoscopically, with the Sugarbaker technique used for mesh placement after total mesorectal excision.
Key Findings:
Prophylactic mesh placement may reduce the incidence of PSH following laparoscopic APR.
The study provides long-term data from an Asian cohort, addressing gaps in existing literature.
Interpretation:
The study aims to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of prophylactic Sugarbaker mesh placement during laparoscopic APR in preventing PSH.
Limitations:
The observational nature of the study limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions.
No formal sample size calculation was performed, which may affect the robustness of the findings.
Conclusion:
This study represents one of the longest evaluations of prophylactic Sugarbaker mesh in laparoscopic APR, providing valuable long-term data.
