Liver CirrhosisNCT02787772
Abdominal Hernia in Cirrhotic Patients: Surgery or Conservative Treatment?
A study testing Elective Hernia repair in people with Liver Cirrhosis and Hernia, run by University of Sao Paulo General Hospital.
Trial summary
Cirrhotic patients have a high incidence of abdominal wall hernias. Ascites and sarcopenia are risk factors to development of bigger hernias and frequent need for urgent surgery due parietal complications. However, hernia surgery is usually delayed in cirrhotic patients because of high morbidity and mortality. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Liver Cirrhosis, Hernia, Ascites
- What is being tested?
- Elective Hernia repair
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 246 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Jan 2009to Jan 2016
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- patients with chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) and abdominal wall hernia.
Who cannot join
- patients who didn´t want to underwent hernia repair.
About this study
Cirrhotic patients have a high incidence of abdominal wall hernias. Ascites and sarcopenia are risk factors to development of bigger hernias and frequent need for urgent surgery due parietal complications. However, hernia surgery is usually delayed in cirrhotic patients because of high morbidity and mortality.
Methods: A prospective study of cirrhotic patients with abdominal wall hernia during January 2009 to November 2014. Demographics, characteristics of underlying liver disease, type of hernia, complications and mortality of 246 enrolled patients were collected. Elective hernia repair was performed in 57 unselected patients, 186 patients were kept in clinical follow up. During follow up urgent hernia surgery was performed when unavoidable
Read the detailed description
Abdominal wall hernias are frequent in cirrhotic patients. The incidence of umbilical hernia´s reaches over 20% in compensated cirrhosis and even 40% in patients with ascites. Several risk factors explain the development of umbilical hernia in these patients, such as, increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by ascites; abdominal aponeurosis weakness due sarcopenia ; and recanalization of the umbilical vein. These hernias develop great hernial sacs, especially when ascites is present. All these risk factors also explain their high complication rate due to the development of pressure ulcers, skin rupture, ascites leak and bacterial peritonitis. Moreover pain is a common associated symptom.
Inguinal hernias also develop due to higher intra-abdominal pressure due to ascites; they often result in large hernia sacs reaching the scrotum. In addition such large hernias are responsible for reduced mobility and quality of life.
The ideal treatment would be to correct both the abdominal wall hernia and the underlying liver disease. However, there are insufficient liver´s donors, so the liver transplantation (LT) waiting list continuously grows. This explains why the majority of abdominal wall hernias in cirrhotic patients remain untreated for several years.
Therefore, most cirrhotic hernia patients are followed conservatively, the surgical treatment being reserved when complications occur. Such expectative attitude is explained by the high postoperative morbidity and mortality. Although, urgent surgery in such patients impose a higher morbidity and mortality compared to elective hernia surgery.
No prospective study is reported comparing the incidence of complications in cirrhotic hernia patients which are just observed or submitted to elective surgery. The aim of this study is to analyze the results of the surgical treatment of abdominal wall hernias in cirrhotic patients.
A prospective study was conducted in patients having documented cirrhosis and abdominal hernia that were followed at the Department of Liver Transplant of University of São Paulo during the period January 2009 to November 2014. All patients included in the study signed an informed consent. At that moment they were randomized for elective hernia repair or clinical follow-up accordingly to their Child-Pugh (CTP) status. Patients who developed local hernia complications during observation underwent emergency hernia surgery.
Cirrhosis was diagnosed by liver tests and confirmed with liver imaging or biopsy. Abdominal wall hernias were diagnosed by physical examination and ultrasound and/or CT scans when necessary.
All patients were managed for their liver disease using individualized laboratory tests, endoscopic and ultrasound work-up. Patients with decompensated liver disease were medically optimized using diuretics in order to control the ascites.
Variables studied were: age, sex, etiology of liver disease, CTP classification, MELD (model of end stage liver disease) score, ascites, need of paracentesis, diabetes mellitus, renal failure and abdominal hernia type, morbidity and mortality. In patients who underwent surgery length of hospital stay, post-operative complications, grade of complications accordingly Clavien and infection were also recorded. Post-operative mortality was considered up to 30-days. End points of the study were death, hernia recurrence or LT.
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of University of Sao Paulo.
Wait and see was the advocated policy before this study.
- Conditions
- Liver Cirrhosis, Hernia, Ascites, Surgery
- Being tested
- Elective Hernia repair
- Medical subject headings
- Liver Cirrhosis, Hernia, Ascites
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Elective Hernia repairProcedure or surgery
abdominal wall hernia repair using onlay mesh.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Hernia Repair | Experimental | Elective abdominal wall hernia surgery was performed in randomized cirrhotic patients. Receives: Procedure: Elective Hernia repair |
| Clinical follow up | No intervention | Cirrhotic patients were kept in clinical follow up concerning their abdominal wall hernia. If a complication occured at the hernia site (such as skin rupture, bowel strangulation,..) the patient underwent emergency hernia repair. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
mortality during follow up
Compare long-term survival in cirrhotic patients with abdominal wall hernia who underwent elective hernia repair or maintained in clinical follow up.
Measured: 4 years
Secondary outcomes (3)
post operative mortality
mortality after elective or urgent hernia repair in cirrhotic patients
Measured: 30 days
post operative morbidity
post operative complications after elective or urgent hernia repair in cirrhotic patients
Measured: 30 days
incidence of complications in patients clinical follow up
Incidence of hernia complications leading to emergency hernia repair
Measured: 4 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Jun 2016 (estimated)
- Study startJan 2009
- Primary completionNov 2014
- Study completionJan 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (10)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Liver CirrhosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Sao Paulo General HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 246 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Sao Paulo General Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Wellington Andraus, University of Sao Paulo General Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02787772
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 0937/09
- Status last verified
- Jun 2016
- First submitted
- 26 May 2016
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2016
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Belghiti J, Durand F. Abdominal wall hernias in the setting of cirrhosis. Semin Liver Dis. 1997;17(3):219-26. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1007199.
PubMed 9308126Carbonell AM, Wolfe LG, DeMaria EJ. Poor outcomes in cirrhosis-associated hernia repair: a nationwide cohort study of 32,033 patients. Hernia. 2005 Dec;9(4):353-7. doi: 10.1007/s10029-005-0022-x. Epub 2005 Aug 27.
PubMed 16132187Marsman HA, Heisterkamp J, Halm JA, Tilanus HW, Metselaar HJ, Kazemier G. Management in patients with liver cirrhosis and an umbilical hernia. Surgery. 2007 Sep;142(3):372-5. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2007.05.006.
PubMed 17723889Silva FD, Andraus W, Pinheiro RS, Arantes-Junior RM, Lemes MP, Ducatti Lde S, D'albuquerque LA. Abdominal and inguinal hernia in cirrhotic patients: what's the best approach? Arq Bras Cir Dig. 2012 Jan-Mar;25(1):52-5. doi: 10.1590/s0102-67202012000100012. English, Portuguese.
PubMed 22569980Mansour A, Watson W, Shayani V, Pickleman J. Abdominal operations in patients with cirrhosis: still a major surgical challenge. Surgery. 1997 Oct;122(4):730-5; discussion 735-6. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6060(97)90080-5.
PubMed 9347849Hassan AM, Salama AF, Hamdy H, Elsebae MM, Abdelaziz AM, Elzayat WA. Outcome of sublay mesh repair in non-complicated umbilical hernia with liver cirrhosis and ascites. Int J Surg. 2014;12(2):181-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2013.12.009. Epub 2013 Dec 28.
PubMed 24378913Ammar SA. Management of complicated umbilical hernias in cirrhotic patients using permanent mesh: randomized clinical trial. Hernia. 2010 Feb;14(1):35-8. doi: 10.1007/s10029-009-0556-4. Epub 2009 Aug 29.
PubMed 19727551Andraus W, Pinheiro RS, Lai Q, Haddad LBP, Nacif LS, D'Albuquerque LAC, Lerut J. Abdominal wall hernia in cirrhotic patients: emergency surgery results in higher morbidity and mortality. BMC Surg. 2015 May 21;15:65. doi: 10.1186/s12893-015-0052-y.
PubMed 25990110de Goede B, Klitsie PJ, Lange JF, Metselaar HJ, Kazemier G. Morbidity and mortality related to non-hepatic surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis: a systematic review. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2012 Feb;26(1):47-59. doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2012.01.010.
PubMed 22482525Oh HK, Kim H, Ryoo S, Choe EK, Park KJ. Inguinal hernia repair in patients with cirrhosis is not associated with increased risk of complications and recurrence. World J Surg. 2011 Jun;35(6):1229-33; discussion 1234. doi: 10.1007/s00268-011-1007-9.
PubMed 21365342
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Jun 2016. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Abdominal Hernia in Cirrhotic Patients: Surgery or Conservative Treatment?
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02787772
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 0937/09
- Conditions
- Liver Cirrhosis, Hernia, Ascites, Surgery
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 246 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Sao Paulo General HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jan 2009
- Primary completion
- Nov 2014 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jan 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 1 Jun 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Cirrhotic patients have a high incidence of abdominal wall hernias. Ascites and sarcopenia are risk factors to development of bigger hernias and frequent need for urgent surgery due parietal complications. However, hernia surgery is usually delayed in cirrhotic patients because of high morbidity and mortality.
Methods: A prospective study of cirrhotic patients with abdominal wall hernia during January 2009 to November 2014. Demographics, characteristics of underlying liver disease, type of hernia, complications and mortality of 246 enrolled patients were collected. Elective hernia repair was performed in 57 unselected patients, 186 patients were kept in clinical follow up. During follow up urgent hernia surgery was performed when unavoidable
Detailed description
Abdominal wall hernias are frequent in cirrhotic patients. The incidence of umbilical hernia´s reaches over 20% in compensated cirrhosis and even 40% in patients with ascites. Several risk factors explain the development of umbilical hernia in these patients, such as, increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by ascites; abdominal aponeurosis weakness due sarcopenia ; and recanalization of the umbilical vein. These hernias develop great hernial sacs, especially when ascites is present. All these risk factors also explain their high complication rate due to the development of pressure ulcers, skin rupture, ascites leak and bacterial peritonitis. Moreover pain is a common associated symptom.
Inguinal hernias also develop due to higher intra-abdominal pressure due to ascites; they often result in large hernia sacs reaching the scrotum. In addition such large hernias are responsible for reduced mobility and quality of life.
The ideal treatment would be to correct both the abdominal wall hernia and the underlying liver disease. However, there are insufficient liver´s donors, so the liver transplantation (LT) waiting list continuously grows. This explains why the majority of abdominal wall hernias in cirrhotic patients remain untreated for several years.
Therefore, most cirrhotic hernia patients are followed conservatively, the surgical treatment being reserved when complications occur. Such expectative attitude is explained by the high postoperative morbidity and mortality. Although, urgent surgery in such patients impose a higher morbidity and mortality compared to elective hernia surgery.
No prospective study is reported comparing the incidence of complications in cirrhotic hernia patients which are just observed or submitted to elective surgery. The aim of this study is to analyze the results of the surgical treatment of abdominal wall hernias in cirrhotic patients.
A prospective study was conducted in patients having documented cirrhosis and abdominal hernia that were followed at the Department of Liver Transplant of University of São Paulo during the period January 2009 to November 2014. All patients included in the study signed an informed consent. At that moment they were randomized for elective hernia repair or clinical follow-up accordingly to their Child-Pugh (CTP) status. Patients who developed local hernia complications during observation underwent emergency hernia surgery.
Cirrhosis was diagnosed by liver tests and confirmed with liver imaging or biopsy. Abdominal wall hernias were diagnosed by physical examination and ultrasound and/or CT scans when necessary.
All patients were managed for their liver disease using individualized laboratory tests, endoscopic and ultrasound work-up. Patients with decompensated liver disease were medically optimized using diuretics in order to control the ascites.
Variables studied were: age, sex, etiology of liver disease, CTP classification, MELD (model of end stage liver disease) score, ascites, need of paracentesis, diabetes mellitus, renal failure and abdominal hernia type, morbidity and mortality. In patients who underwent surgery length of hospital stay, post-operative complications, grade of complications accordingly Clavien and infection were also recorded. Post-operative mortality was considered up to 30-days. End points of the study were death, hernia recurrence or LT.
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of University of Sao Paulo.
Wait and see was the advocated policy before this study.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Hernia Repair | Experimental | Procedure: Elective Hernia repairElective abdominal wall hernia surgery was performed in randomized cirrhotic patients. |
| Clinical follow up | No intervention | –Cirrhotic patients were kept in clinical follow up concerning their abdominal wall hernia. If a complication occured at the hernia site (such as skin rupture, bowel strangulation,..) the patient underwent emergency hernia repair. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- patients with chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) and abdominal wall hernia.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- patients who didn´t want to underwent hernia repair.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Hernia repairabdominal wall hernia repair using onlay mesh. | Procedure or surgery | Elective Hernia Repair |
Primary outcome
mortality during follow up
Time frame: 4 years
Compare long-term survival in cirrhotic patients with abdominal wall hernia who underwent elective hernia repair or maintained in clinical follow up.
3 secondary outcomes
post operative mortality
Time frame: 30 days
post operative morbidity
Time frame: 30 days
incidence of complications in patients clinical follow up
Time frame: 4 years
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Jun 2016.
- Background: PubMed 9308126Belghiti J, Durand F. Abdominal wall hernias in the setting of cirrhosis. Semin Liver Dis. 1997;17(3):219-26. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1007199.
- Background: PubMed 16132187Carbonell AM, Wolfe LG, DeMaria EJ. Poor outcomes in cirrhosis-associated hernia repair: a nationwide cohort study of 32,033 patients. Hernia. 2005 Dec;9(4):353-7. doi: 10.1007/s10029-005-0022-x. Epub 2005 Aug 27.
- Background: PubMed 17723889Marsman HA, Heisterkamp J, Halm JA, Tilanus HW, Metselaar HJ, Kazemier G. Management in patients with liver cirrhosis and an umbilical hernia. Surgery. 2007 Sep;142(3):372-5. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2007.05.006.
- Background: PubMed 22569980Silva FD, Andraus W, Pinheiro RS, Arantes-Junior RM, Lemes MP, Ducatti Lde S, D'albuquerque LA. Abdominal and inguinal hernia in cirrhotic patients: what's the best approach? Arq Bras Cir Dig. 2012 Jan-Mar;25(1):52-5. doi: 10.1590/s0102-67202012000100012. English, Portuguese.
- Background: PubMed 9347849Mansour A, Watson W, Shayani V, Pickleman J. Abdominal operations in patients with cirrhosis: still a major surgical challenge. Surgery. 1997 Oct;122(4):730-5; discussion 735-6. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6060(97)90080-5.
- Background: PubMed 24378913Hassan AM, Salama AF, Hamdy H, Elsebae MM, Abdelaziz AM, Elzayat WA. Outcome of sublay mesh repair in non-complicated umbilical hernia with liver cirrhosis and ascites. Int J Surg. 2014;12(2):181-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2013.12.009. Epub 2013 Dec 28.
- Background: PubMed 19727551Ammar SA. Management of complicated umbilical hernias in cirrhotic patients using permanent mesh: randomized clinical trial. Hernia. 2010 Feb;14(1):35-8. doi: 10.1007/s10029-009-0556-4. Epub 2009 Aug 29.
- Background: PubMed 25990110Andraus W, Pinheiro RS, Lai Q, Haddad LBP, Nacif LS, D'Albuquerque LAC, Lerut J. Abdominal wall hernia in cirrhotic patients: emergency surgery results in higher morbidity and mortality. BMC Surg. 2015 May 21;15:65. doi: 10.1186/s12893-015-0052-y.
- Background: PubMed 22482525de Goede B, Klitsie PJ, Lange JF, Metselaar HJ, Kazemier G. Morbidity and mortality related to non-hepatic surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis: a systematic review. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2012 Feb;26(1):47-59. doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2012.01.010.
- Background: PubMed 21365342Oh HK, Kim H, Ryoo S, Choe EK, Park KJ. Inguinal hernia repair in patients with cirrhosis is not associated with increased risk of complications and recurrence. World J Surg. 2011 Jun;35(6):1229-33; discussion 1234. doi: 10.1007/s00268-011-1007-9.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Elective Hernia repair in people with Liver Cirrhosis and Hernia, run by University of Sao Paulo General Hospital.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jun 2016. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
mortality during follow up (time frame: 4 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02787772, which also lists 10 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Jun 2016.