Minimally invasive techniques for primary ventral hernia repair yield better patient-reported outcomes in terms of scar dissatisfaction compared to open repair, though recurrence rates differ by technique.

• Scar dissatisfaction was significantly lower with laparoscopic (5.7%) and robotic (4.2%) repairs compared to open (10.2%); p <0.001 for both comparisons.
• Laparoscopic repair had a higher patient-reported recurrence (11.4%) than open repair (9.2%); p = 0.006.

These findings suggest that when postoperative appearance is a priority, surgeons may consider minimally invasive options over open repair.