A virtual simulation approach to assess the effect of trocar-site placement and scar characteristics on the abdominal wall biomechanics.

Analyses of registries and medical imaging suggest that laparoscopic surgery may be penalized with a high incidence of trocar-site hernias (TSH). In addition to trocar diameter, the location of the surgical wound (SW) may affect TSH incidence. The intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) exerted on the abdominal wall (AW) might also influence the appearance of TSH.

Virtual simulation of the biomechanics of the abdominal wall with different stoma locations.

An ostomy is a surgical procedure by which an artificial opening in the abdominal wall, known as a stoma, is created. We assess the effects of stoma location on the abdominal wall mechanics. We perform three-dimensional finite element simulations on an anatomy model which was generated on the basis of medical images.

Implementation of a new constitutive model for abdominal muscles.

Background And Objective: Abdominal hernia repair is one of the most often performed surgical procedures worldwide. Numerical simulations of the abdominal wall mechanics can be a valuable tool to devise actions aimed at preventing hernia formation. A first step towards this goal is the development of consistent constitutive models for the tissues that form the human abdominal wall.