A new tension-free technique for the repair of umbilical hernia, using the Prolene Hernia System--early results from 48 cases.

Tension-free repair using the Prolene Hernia System (PHS) has been widely adopted for inguinal hernias with excellent results. In our department, a new technique for umbilical hernia repair, using the PHS, has been developed. Between 2000 and 2002, 48 patients underwent tension-free umbilical hernia repair, using the PHS. There were 20 male and 28 female patients, with a mean age of 54 years. The preperitoneal space was dissected to accumulate the underlay patch of the PHS. The onlay patch was placed on the anterior rectus sheath and the connector in the umbilical ring. The median operating time was 35 min (range, 28-40). Postoperative pain was minimal, and there were no complications associated with the mesh, except a seroma, which required needle aspiration. There were no recurrences after a median follow-up of 13 months (1-24). Our early results indicate that the described tension-free technique could become the standard treatment for umbilical hernia repair, but long-term results are required to establish the efficacy of the procedure.