Combined fascia and mesh closure of large incisional hernias.

Large incisional hernias of the abdominal wall represent substantial defects of supportive tissues. The repair of these requires the mobilization of fascia or the use of a prosthetic mesh. A method for closing large midline incisional hernias using both the fascia and a mesh was described in 1979. This repair was used for six midline hernias and four large incisional hernias in the right subcostal region. No wound complications and no recurrences (median follow-up 1 year 5 months) were seen. The combined fascia and mesh repair can be successfully used for large incisional hernias of the anterior abdominal wall in areas other than the midline.