Systematic review and meta-analysis of the pre-operative application of botulinum toxin for ventral hernia repair.

Purpose: Surgical repair of large hernia defects requires detailed pre-operative planning, particularly in cases with loss of domain. This situation often hampers mid-line reconstruction, even after component separation, when the size of the hernia is disproportional to the volume of the abdominal area. In this case, other strategies may be needed to place the viscera back into the abdominal cavity after reducing the hernia sac. The administration of botulinum toxin prior to the surgical procedure has been indicated as an adjunct for more complex cases. This results in stretching of the lateral musculature of the abdomen, allowing midline approximation. In addition, the application of botulinum toxin alone has been investigated as a means of downstaging in the management of ventral hernias, thereby precluding component separation and enabling primary closure of the midline by placement of mesh within the retromuscular space using the Rives Stoppa technique.

Methods: Systematic review of the literature for observational studies involving patients undergoing pre-operative application of botulinum toxin for ventral hernia repair was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines.

Results: Advance of the lateral musculature of the abdomen by an average of 4.11 cm with low heterogeneity, as well as low rates of surgical site infection (SSI), surgical site occurrences (SSO) and recurrence, was shown.

Conclusion: Pre-operative application of botulinum toxin for ventral hernia repair promoted an increase in the length of the lateral musculature of the abdomen which can help improve the outcomes of morbidity and recurrence.