CARDIFF REPAIR OF INCISIONAL HERNIA - A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

Objective: To analyse our results of the ''Cardiff'' (far and near) re pair in incisional hernias. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Univer sity hospital, Varanasi, India. Subjects: 50 patients who presented wi th incisional hernias between January 1990 and December 1994. Interven tion: Interrupted far-and-near sutures inserted after excision of the sac. The contents were pushed into the abdomen and the peritoneum sutu red with non-absorable polypropylene (prolene). Main Outcome Measures. Early and late morbidity. Six patients developed postoperative compli cations (wound infection, n = 3; flap necrosis, n = 2; and wound sinus , n = 1). No patient has been lost to follow up and there have been no signs of recurrence after a mean follow up of 52 months. Conclusion: The meticulous application of this simple surgical technique has low m orbidity and is cost effective. We recommend it for small and medium s ize defects.