Table Of Contents
- How is Component Separation Technique Performed?
- What is the recovery period after the Component Separation Technique?
- What are the risks associated with the Component Separation Technique?
Hernias are often a common consequence of several open abdominal surgeries. In addition, the consistently expanding abdominal hernias and enterocutaneous fistulas can lead to risks of bacterial contamination in the folds.
Patients who have undergone multiple abdominal surgeries are at heightened risks of developing an incisional hernia, most of which spread to such an extent that they need surgical interventions.
Giant and complex hernias are often hard to treat and manage, mainly because they have a higher chance of recurrence, even after taking mandatory precautions.
Component separation technique is a new surgical intervention that handles and prevents further spread of the giant hernias before they go beyond repair. Unlike conventional hernia repair, where the patient has enough abdominal wall for anchorage, a component separation technique is ideal for patients who don’t have that.
Over the years, the component separation technique or CST has undergone several technical modifications, making it difficult to compare the available findings in the research papers.
How is Component Separation Technique Performed?
Component separation technique for abdominal hernia is the chosen treatment route when the patient lacks enough abdominal wall to excise and repair the complex hernias.
In that case, the surgeon separates the rectus and lateral abdominal wall musculofascial layers on the right and left sides and lengthens the muscle to bring it to the mid-line for fascial approximation and closure.
The procedure restores the functional integrity of the abdominal wall in patients with an incisional hernia, one that is beyond the repair capacity of the conventional surgical procedure.
Besides restoring the structural integrity, CST also improves the aesthetics related to the abdomen’s appearance in the patient.
What is the recovery period after the Component Separation Technique?
The overall recovery period after CST can take between 4-6 weeks. During this time, the patient will more or less heal around the incision and the surgical site.
However, the overall swelling around the abdomen following a CST can take somewhere between 4-6 months to resolve. Noticing an abdominal bulge after CST is common, and it should go down by the sixth-month post-surgery.
The surgeon will prescribe pain medications and antibiotics to tackle the pain and reduce the risks of infection that are prevalent after the procedure.
What are the risks associated with the Component Separation Technique?
Although quite a practical and refined surgical method, CST is still under scrutiny and not an ideal procedure for every patient with a giant abdominal hernia.
Also, the technique should be done in combination with mesh repair for maximum results. However, studies show that even with the proper methods and execution, the recurrence rate of the hernia is prevalent.
So, always ensure that you discuss the procedure, the consequences, and the recovery before going through the technique.
