Surgical repair of hernias in patients with ascites is a rare event with increased adverse outcomes

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of 176 patients with ascites undergoing ventral or inguinal hernia repair. The study found that surgical repair of hernias in patients with ascites is rare (1.4% in ventral hernia cohort, 0.2% in inguinal hernia cohort). The post-operative 30-day adverse clinical outcomes were significantly higher in both cohorts compared to patients without ascites. Readmission was the most common complication in both groups. There was variation in surgical approaches, suggesting a need for optimization in patient selection and timing of repair in this population.