INVITE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Incisional Hernia Prevention: Risk-Benefit From a Patient's Perspective
IRAS ID
310695
Contact name
Julie Cornish
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Incisional Hernia (IH) is a common complication of abdominal surgery and causes serious morbidity to patients. IH formation is multifactorial and its risk varies from patient to patient. Risk-predictive tools have been developed to identify patients at high risk of IH before their initial operation, with high-risk patients possibly being offered the use of prophylactic mesh, placed at the end of the operation to prevent IH from forming. With controversy surrounding the use of mesh in other types of surgery, however, we do not know if mesh would be acceptable to patients. This study aims to assess how patients feel about prophylactic mesh and whether it is acceptable to them.
Summary of Results
This study looked at how patients view incisional hernia and using mesh to prevent it. Most patients didn't know about incisional hernia before their surgery. They knew about surgical mesh but mainly had negative views due to media influence. Still, many patients found mesh acceptable if given enough information and time to understand it.
Patients who had abdominal surgery were asked about their knowledge of incisional hernia and surgical mesh. Two-thirds of them had no idea about incisional hernia before surgery. Even so, 61.3% knew about mesh being used in surgery, mostly from hearing about its use in uro-gynaecological operations rather than hernia surgery.
Regardless of the patient's age, gender, type of surgery, or whether their condition was benign or malignant, the level of awareness was consistent. This lack of information about incisional hernia is concerning, as it is a common post-surgery complication.
Extensive negative media coverage about mesh seems to affect patients' views, with 53% holding negative opinions. Negative perceptions were evident in both qualitative data and media analysis. Social media analysis done as part of another study showed 39% of tweets and 95% of Facebook posts about hernia mesh were negative. As a result, most patients had concerns about the benefits, pain, safety, and ease of mesh removal, with only around 20% having no concerns.
Despite these concerns, only 10% of patients found mesh prophylaxis unacceptable. When given time and the right information, patients were generally open to discussing and considering the use of mesh.REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
22/WA/0161
Date of REC Opinion
26 May 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion