Abstract
Purpose
To characterise international contemporary practice in dissection and closure of lower abdominal transverse incisions (LATI) across surgical specialties.
Methods
An open, cross-sectional survey of surgeons with experience of performing LATI independently was conducted using an anonymised online questionnaire disseminated via professional networks. Data were captured pertaining to respondent characteristics, operative techniques for dissection and closure of abdominal layers, and experience with incisional hernias related to these incisions.
Results
Overall, 231 respondents from 31 countries across 6 continents were included, following relevant exclusions. Respondents comprised general surgeons (68.4%), obstetricians and gynaecologists (O&G; 26.4%) and urologists (5.2%). O&G respondents performed a significantly higher annual LATI case volume, when compared to other specialists (>50 cases/year: 60.7% vs. 6.5%,
p
p
p
p
p
p
Conclusion
There is substantial inter-specialty variation in closure techniques for LATI. Differences in practice may influence incisional hernia development and reporting, highlighting a need for further outcome-focused research and standardisation.