Journal of vascular surgery
-
Both midline and transverse abdominal incisions are used for exposing the infrarenal aorta. Transverse incisions are said to cause less pulmonary and systemic complications, but the claimed advantages may be because most transverse incisions are extraperitoneal, whereas midline incisions are intraperitoneal. This study compares intraperitoneal transverse and midline incisions with respect to perioperative and late complications, especially incisional hernia. ⋯ Excess blood loss and wound infection exerted this predisposition to incisional herniation independent of other variables.