Repair of giant hernias using more prosthesis.

Giant incisional hernias with total loss of substance are an ominous pathological condition characterized by massive depletion of muscular and fascial tissue, by complete loss of the anatomical and physiological function of the abdominal wall and by severe respiratory and visceral involvement. Over a 10-year period we operated 270 patients with voluminous incisional hernias, 12 of which had a total loss of substance. There was no intraoperative mortality.