Modern approach to rehabilitation of patients after hernioplasty operations in patients with umbilical hernia

Introduction. The number of patients with hernias of the anterior abdominal wall is steadily increasing every year. Despite the introduction of new herniation techniques, the percentage of postoperative complications remains high.

Objective: to compare the long-term results of patients with and without rehabilitation.

Materials and methods. The polycentric study included 58 male and female patients who underwent hernioplasty of the umbilical hernia with a synthetic mesh prosthesis.  The methods of postoperative rehabilitation are described.

Results. According to the results of the study, it can be argued that the conducted postoperative rehabilitation helps to prevent the development of chronic pain syndrome. Prevention had no effect on the development of hernia recurrence.

Discussion. A modern approach to the timing and methods of rehabilitation after hernioplasty can significantly reduce the percentage of long-term postoperative operations and improve the patient's condition. At the same time, a necessary condition for the effectiveness of rehabilitation is the independent implementation of recommendations to patients at the outpatient stage of treatment for at least 2 months.

Conclusions. As the study showed, hernioplasty of the umbilical hernia with a mesh synthetic prosthesis followed by the proposed rehabilitation program suggests a significant improvement in long-term postoperative results. The number of patients included in the study and consideration of hernioplasty exclusively for umbilical hernias does not allow us to draw a global conclusion about the application of the described program to all patients after hernia repair. For such a statement, it is necessary to conduct additional research.

1. Vinnik Yu.S. and others. A modern view on the problem of treatment of patients with postoperative ventral hernias. Siberian Medical Review, 2014, № 6, pp. 5–13. (In Russ.)

2. Yurasov A.V., Gurin S.N., Midiber K.Yu., Struchkova A.D., Ettinger A.P., Mikhaleva L.M., Shestakov A.L. Diagnosis of undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia and its role in the recurrence of postoperative ventral hernias. Moscow Surgical Journal, 2025, № 4, pp. 17–25. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2025-4-17-

3. Lutsevich O.E., Alibekov K.B., Urbanovich A.S. Quality of life in patients after laparoscopic hernioplasty: disease recurrence and chronic pain syndrome. Moscow Surgical Journal, 2020, № 2, pp. 36–40. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17238/issn2072-3180. 2020.2.36-40

4. AlShammari A., Alyousef F., Alyousif A. et al. Chronic abdominal pain after laparoscopic hernia repair due to mesh graft migration to the cecum: a case report. Patient Saf Surg., 2019, № 13, рр. 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13037-019-0220-6

5. Vnukov P.V. Evaluation of the effectiveness of intraoperative stretching of the transverse abdominal muscle in retromuscular allogernoplasty. Moscow Surgical Journal, 2025, № 4, pр. 9–85. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2025-4-79-85

6. Markova Ya.A. The choice of hernioplasty method and tactics of postoperative management of patients with ventral hernias. Surgery News, 2012, vol. 20, № 5, рp. 24–31. (In Russ.)

7. Lymar Yu.Yu., Stavtsev M.L., Supryaga A.A., Yudin V.A. The postoperative period after surgical treatment of patients with inguinal hernias by non-tensioning hernioplasty using implants and auto-tissue flaps. Moscow Surgical Journal, 2024, № 1, рp. 25–34. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17238/2072-3180-2024-1-25-34

8. Ronnie A.P. Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction: A Novel Approach to Postoperative Care Using Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2015, vol. 136(3), рр. 368.

9. Demin N.A., Achkasov E.E., Abdurashidova M.R., Kalachev O.A., Ivanov G.V. A surgeon's view on the rehabilitation features of patients with large postoperative ventral hernias after retro-rectus open hernioplasty. Clinical and experimental surgery. The journal named after academician B.V. Petrovsky, 2022, vol. 10, № 2, рр. 88–95. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.33029/2308-1198-2022-10-2-88-95

10. Paasch C., Anders S., Strik M.W. Postoperative-treatment following open incisional hernia repair: a survey and a review of literature. Int. J. Surg., 2018, vol. 53, рр. 320–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2018.04.014

11. Kasatkin M.S., Achkasov E.E., Dobrovolsky O.B. Fundamentals of kinesiotaping. Textbook. M. : Sport, 2015, рp.16–22. (In Russ.)

12. Epifanov V.A. Therapeutic physical culture: a textbook. M. : GEOTAR. – Media, 2006, pр. 204–231. (In Russ.)

13. Schaaf S., Willms A., Schwab R., Gusgen C. Recommendations on postoperative strain and physical labor after abdominal and hernia surgery: an expert survey of attendants of the 41st EHS Annual International Congress of the European Hernia Society. Hernia, 2021, Feb, № 24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-021-02377-w