Hernia repair in patients with chronic liver disease - A 15-year single-center experience

Background: Elective hernia repairs in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients are often avoided due to the fear of hepatic decompensation and mortality, leaving the patient susceptible to an emergent presentation. Methods: CLD patients undergoing ventral or inguinal hernia repair in emergent and non-emergent settings at our institution (2001–2015) were analyzed. Predictors of 30-day morbidity and mortality (M&M) were determined using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 186 non-emergent repairs identified acceptable rates of M&M (27%) and 90-day mortality (3.7%, 0/21 for MELD≥15). Meanwhile, 67 emergent repairs had higher rates of M&M (60%) and 90-day mortality (10%; 25% for MELD≥15). M&M was associated with elevated MELD scores in emergent cases (14 ± 6 vs 11 ± 4; p = 0.01) and intraoperative drain placement in non-emergent cases (OR1.31,p < 0.01). Conclusion: In patients with advanced CLD, non-emergent hernia repairs carry acceptable rates of M&M, while emergent repairs have increased M&M rates associated with higher MELD scores. A large single-center cohort suggests that patients with advanced liver disease have acceptable outcomes after hernia repair in an elective setting compared to their emergent counterparts.