Since 1994 we treated four patients after blunt abdominal trauma laparoscop
ically. Two patients had their surgery during the early posttraumatic perio
d, two patients after a latency of years. We found that laparoscopy is a sa
fe and gentle procedure for diagnosis as well as for treatment. The laparos
copy was in all cases successful, the postoperative course was uneventful.
All patients remained asymptomatic during follow-up between 15 and 72 month
s. We expect the same good long-term results after laparoscopic repair as a
fter open conventional surgery. The literature regarding traumatic hernias
is reviewed.