After propensity score matching, the surgical approach (open vs. minimally invasive) was not a significant predictor of VTE-related readmission following ventral hernia repair, while patient-related factors such as age >65 years and discharge with home healthcare were independent predictors.
After propensity score matching, the difference in 30-day VTE-specific readmission rates between open and MIS ventral hernia repair was not statistically significant.
MIS approach was significantly associated with lower odds of all-cause 30-day readmission compared to open surgery.
MIS approach was associated with shorter hospital length of stay compared to open surgery.
MIS approach was associated with slightly lower total inpatient hospitalization costs compared to open surgery.
Age greater than 65 years was an independent predictor of VTE-specific readmission after ventral hernia repair.
Discharge with home healthcare was an independent predictor of VTE-specific readmission after ventral hernia repair.
The original unmatched cohort consisted of 834,298 patients undergoing ventral hernia repair, with a substantial majority having open surgery.
This research examined whether the type of surgical approach—traditional open surgery versus minimally invasive surgery (MIS, such as laparoscopic or robotic techniques)—affects the risk of being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days due to blood clots (venous thromboembolism, or VTE) after ventral hernia repair. Using a large U.S. national database covering 2016 to 2022, the researchers studied over 834,000 patients and used a statistical technique called propensity score matching to fairly compare open and MIS patients who were otherwise similar in health status and risk factors. After matching, the study found no statistically significant difference in VTE-related readmission rates between the two surgical approaches (about 2.0% for open vs. 2.4% for MIS). However, MIS was associated with meaningful benefits in other areas: patients who had MIS were less likely to be readmitted for any reason, had shorter hospital stays (about one day less), and had slightly lower hospital costs. The factors most strongly linked to VTE readmission were patient-related: being over age 65 and being sent home with home healthcare services after surgery, not the type of surgery performed. This research suggests that choosing between open and minimally invasive hernia repair should not be driven by concerns about blood clot risk, as both approaches carry similar VTE readmission rates when patients are comparable. Instead, efforts to reduce post-surgical blood clots should focus on identifying and closely managing high-risk patients—particularly older individuals and those requiring home healthcare after discharge. The authors note that future studies with more detailed patient data are needed to better understand which specific risk factors contribute most to VTE after hernia surgery.
Boyal N, da Silveira C, Kang P, Premkumar A, Horiuchi S, Rasador A, et al.. (2026). Venous thromboembolism-related readmission after ventral hernia repair in the United States: a propensity score-matched analysis of open and minimally invasive surgery and insights from a national database.. Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-026-03777-6