Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · May 2017
Comparative Study Observational StudyComparison of Surgeon Specialty in Open Ventral Hernia Repair.
Ventral hernia repair is a common procedure and is undertaken by surgeons with varying training backgrounds. Outcomes after hernia repair depend on numerous factors, some being patient or surgeon specific. It remains unclear what the ideal roles are for general and plastic surgeons in open ventral hernia repair. We hypothesized that open ventral hernia repair by plastic surgeons is safe and comparable with general surgeons. ⋯ Outcomes of hernia repair by plastic surgeons are comparable with general surgeons, despite plastic surgeons being involved in many complex cases. Interestingly, we identified that general surgeons are performing adjunctive procedures to ventral hernia previously handled by plastic surgeons. Although further study is warranted, we conclude that for open ventral hernia repair, plastic surgeons provide a comparable alternative to general surgeons.