Clinical trial NCT03390764: Hernia After Colorectal Cancer Surgery
Official title: Rein4CeTo1: Incisional Hernia After Colorectal Cancer Surgery - a Randomized Controlled Multicentre Trial Comparing Small Stitch 4:1-technique With Respectively Without a Reinforced Tension-line Suture for Abdominal Closure
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Incisional Hernia
Wound Dehiscence
Wound Complication
Quality of Life
Keywords: Incisional hernia
4:1-technique
RTL-suture
Lead sponsor: Skane University Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-01-04
Enrollment: 152
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Multicenter randomized controlled trial
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Defects in the abdominal wall (incisional hernia) is a frequent negative outcome after surgery. Reinforcing the incision with mesh seem to lower the incidence but in surgery that includes bowel resection a simple alternative, cheaper and less prone to infection than a synthetic mesh, would be of interest. The primary aim of this multicentre randomized controlled trial is to compare the incisional hernia incidence one year after planned colorectal cancer surgery performed through a midline incision which is closed either by a standardized small stitch 4:1 technique (the incision is closed with the use of suture of 4 times the length of the incision) or with the same technique plus a reinforced tension-line suture (a suture is applied in the fibrous tissue parallel to the incision which is then embraced by the 4:1 suture when the incision is closed). A difference in incisional hernia of 15% (20% without and 5% with reinforced tension-line suture) is assumed. Secondary aims are to evaluate incidences of wound dehiscence, other wound complications and incisional hernia after 3 years. Furthermore we aim to evaluate patient satisfaction and quality of life.

Detailed description: The primary aim of this multicentre randomized controlled trial is to compare the incisional hernia incidence one year after planned colorectal cancer surgery performed through a midline incision which is closed either by a standardized small stitch 4:1 technique or with the same technique plus a reinforced tension-line suture. A difference in incisional hernia of 15% (20% without and 5% with reinforced tension-line suture) is assumed and requires inclusion of 76 patients in each group (significance level=5%, power=80%). Patients planned for colorectal surgery due to a cancer are eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria are: age below 18, ASA\>3, former operation for incisional hernia in the midline, present hernia, perop findings of peritoneal carcinomatosis eligible for peritonealectomy, patient unable to take part in planned follow-up and patient not willing to take part in the study.

Secondary aims are to evaluate incidences of wound dehiscence, other wound complications and incisional hernia after 3 years. Furthermore we aim to evaluate patient satisfaction and quality of life.

Patient base-line characteristics, operative and postop characteristics will be recorded in inclusion- and op-protocols and protocols for clinical follow-up at 1 month, 1 and 3 years. Standard 1 and 3 years CT-scans will be examined for incisional hernia. At 1 and 3 years the patients will be asked to fill out an abdominal wall discomfort enquiry as well as the QoL questionnaire EQ-5D-5L.

The study will be performed at 3 surgical clinics in the Region of Skane in Sweden: Malmö, Kristianstad and Ystad. Inclusion started Oct 2017 and was estimated to be completed after somewhat more than 2 years. The pandemic added 2 years to the inclusion period.The last follow-up will thereby take place after an additional 3 years (2024).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients ≥ 18 years planned for colorectal cancer surgery through a midline incision

Exclusion Criteria:

* Former incisional hernia surgery in the midline
* Present incisional hernia in the midline
* ASA\>3
* Peritoneal carcinomatosis eligible for peritonealectomy/HIPEC
* Patient not able to participate in follow-up
* Patient not willing to take part in the study

Primary outcomes:
measure: Incisional hernia one year after colorectal cancer surgery comparing a standardized 4:1-technique with and without a reinforced tension-line suture
timeFrame: One year
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Wound dehiscence and other wound complications
timeFrame: One month or longer
measure: Incisional hernia after 3 years
timeFrame: 3 years
measure: Abdominal wall discomfort at 1- and 3 years follow-up
timeFrame: 1 and 3 years
measure: Quality of life after 1- and 3 years
timeFrame: 1 and 3 years
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Malmö
country: Sweden
facility: Department of surgery, Skane university hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: Department of Surgery, Skane University Hospital, Malmö Sweden
name: Ulf Petersson, MD, Ass Prof
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Bosanquet DC, Ansell J, Abdelrahman T, Cornish J, Harries R, Stimpson A, Davies L, Glasbey JC, Frewer KA, Frewer NC, Russell D, Russell I, Torkington J. Systematic Review and Meta-Regression of Factors Affecting Midline Incisional Hernia Rates: Analysis of 14,618 Patients. PLoS One. 2015 Sep 21;10(9):e0138745. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138745. eCollection 2015.
citation: Muysoms FE, Dietz UA. Prophylactic meshes in the abdominal wall. Chirurg. 2017 Jan;88(Suppl 1):34-41. doi: 10.1007/s00104-016-0229-7.
citation: Hollinsky C, Sandberg S, Kocijan R. Preliminary results with the reinforced tension line: a new technique for patients with ventral abdominal wall hernias. Am J Surg. 2007 Aug;194(2):234-9. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2006.09.045.
citation: Agarwal A, Hossain Z, Agarwal A, Das A, Chakraborty S, Mitra N, Gupta M, Ray U. Reinforced tension line suture closure after midline laparotomy in emergency surgery. Trop Doct. 2011 Oct;41(4):193-6. doi: 10.1258/td.2011.110045. Epub 2011 Aug 10.
citation: Millbourn D, Cengiz Y, Israelsson LA. Effect of stitch length on wound complications after closure of midline incisions: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Surg. 2009 Nov;144(11):1056-9. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.2009.189.