Prospective cohort study on mesh shrinkage measured with MRI after robot-assisted minimal invasive retrorectus ventral hernia repair using an iron-oxide-loaded polyvinylidene fluoride mesh.

Background: Mesh-reinforced ventral hernia repair is considered the gold standard treatment for all but the smallest of hernias. Human data on mesh shrinkage in the retrorectus mesh position is lacking. A prospective observational cohort study was performed to measure mesh shrinkage in robot-assisted minimal invasive retrorectus repair of ventral hernias.