Publication:

Early mesh-related complications following hernia repair: a prospective observational study from a tertiary care centre

Background Mesh-based hernia repair is the standard of care; however, early postoperative complications remain a concern.

Methods A prospective observational study was conducted on 266 patients undergoing elective mesh hernia repair between January 2025 and January 2026. Patients were followed for 30 days. Data on demographics, comorbidities, surgical variables, and complications were collected and analyzed using SPSS v22. A p- value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results The overall incidence of early complications was 12%. The most common complications were seroma (4.1%), scrotal edema (3.4%), surgical site infection (2.6%), and hematoma (2.3%). Mesh infection occurred in 1.9% of cases. Patients with comorbidities had significantly higher complication rates (33.3% vs 9.6%, p<0.001). Incisional and umbilical hernias showed higher complication rates compared to inguinal hernias (p=0.01). Multivariate analysis identified comorbidity (OR=4.2) and prolonged hospital stay (OR=3.8) as independent predictors.

Conclusions Early mesh-related complications are relatively infrequent and mostly manageable. Patient-related factors, particularly comorbidities, play a significant role in determining outcomes.