Maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures in the pre and postoperative periods of patients with incisional abdominal hernia corrected by Lázaro da Silva technique.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effect of longitudinal abdominal incisional herniorrhaphy on respiratory muscle pressure.
METHOD: The technique of incisional herniorrhaphy used was proposed by Lázaro da Silva. To measure the pressure, we used a water manometer in 20 patients, median age 48.5 years (range 24 70). We analyzed the maximum inspiratory pressure at the level of residual volume (IP-RV) and functional residual capacity (IP-FRC) and the maximum expiratory pressure of functional residual capacity (EP-FRC) and total lung capacity (EP-TLC) in the preoperative and late postoperative (40 90 days) periods, in 13 patients with large incisional hernias and in 7 patients with medium incisional hernias.
RESULTS: There was a significant increase in IP-FRC (p = 0.027), IP-RV (p = 0.011) and EP-TLC (p = 0.003) in patients with large incisional hernias. EP-FRC increased, but not significantly. In patients with medium incisional hernias, the changes were not significant.
CONCLUSION: Surgical correction of large incisional hernias improves the function of the breathing muscles; however, surgery for medium incisional hernias does not alter this function.