Prosthetic mesh repair of abdominal wall hernias in horses.
Authors: Tóth Ferenc, Schumacher Jim
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Prosthetic mesh repair of abdominal wall hernias in horses Abdominal wall hernias in horses frequently require surgical augmentation with prosthetic mesh, yet veterinary terminology for these procedures has remained inconsistent and poorly standardised compared to human surgical practice. Tóth and Schumacher conducted a comprehensive review of mesh herniorrhaphy techniques in equine surgery, adopting the two principal classification systems used in human medicine—which categorise mesh placement as onlay, inlay, sublay, or underlay based on anatomical position within the abdominal wall layers. By systematically mapping existing equine surgical techniques onto these established categories and formally naming previously unnamed approaches, the authors provide clarity on success rates and complication profiles for each placement method. For equine practitioners, this standardised framework enables more precise communication about surgical planning, allows meaningful comparison of outcomes across different techniques, and facilitates knowledge transfer from human surgery where larger patient numbers have generated robust evidence on mesh materials and positioning. Adopting this classification system into routine practice will improve consistency in case reporting, audit of surgical outcomes, and informed client discussions about optimal repair strategies for individual hernias.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Understand the four anatomical placement options (onlay, inlay, sublay, underlay) when discussing hernia repair options with your veterinary surgeon, as each has different biomechanical and complication profiles
- •Use standardized terminology when communicating about hernia repairs to ensure all team members understand exactly which surgical technique was performed
- •Ask your veterinarian which placement technique they recommend for your horse's specific hernia, as location and severity will determine the best approach
Key Findings
- •Four distinct prosthetic mesh placement techniques exist for equine hernia repair: onlay, inlay, sublay, and underlay placements based on anatomical location within the abdominal wall
- •Classification systems from human surgery can be applied to standardize nomenclature and improve clarity in equine prosthetic mesh herniorrhaphy
- •Success rates and complications vary by mesh placement technique, though specific outcome percentages were not quantified in this review