Spigel hernia: a single center experience in a rare hernia entity.

Introduction: Spigelian Hernia (SH) is a rare ventral hernia with a high incarceration and obstruction risk. The purpose of this study is to present our experience in diagnosis and treatment of this rare hernia entity. Materials and Method: Sixteen patients underwent surgery for SH between 2000 and 2010. Analysis parameters included demographic data, location of defect, diagnostic methods, mode of surgery, mode of anesthesia and postoperative outcome. Results: Mean follow-up was 98 months. The gender bias was 37.5 %: 62.5 % (man: woman) with mean age of 56 years. The SH was right-sided in 56.25 %, left-sided in 37.5 % and bilateral in 6.25 % of the cases. The preoperative diagnosis was correct in 25 % of the cases. Eight patients (50 %) underwent elective surgery, and the other 8 patients (50 %) underwent surgical treatment on emergency basis. Two patients underwent open hernia repair by primary suture, 13 patients underwent open mesh repair and one patient underwent a laparoscopic mesh repair. Neither a major hernia repair-related complication nor mortality could be registered. Conclusion: SH is a rare entity with a wide clinical spectrum and difficulties in preoperative diagnosis. Once the diagnosis of SH is established, a surgical treatment is indicated because of the high complication risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]