Do drain tubes help reduce risks of post-operative complications in complex incisional hernia repair (as defined by a recent court ruling)?

Abstract

Background: A recent legal case described in the ANZ Journal of Surgery has sparked significant topical interest in drain tube use in incisional hernia repairs in Australia. This study reviews a single centre experience of drain tube use in incisional hernia repair. Methods: Data from online clinical records was collected retrospectively from patients that underwent incisional hernia repair from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2017. ‘Complexity’ factors of smoking, obesity and lower midline incision (as identified by the legal case) were also used to stratify groups. Results: A total of 410 incisional hernia repair cases were identified during the 5-year period. Median length of stay of the no..