A ventral hernia (VH) is a fascial defect located in the anterior abdominal wall. Primary VH includes epigastric, umbilical and spigelian hernias. A secondary defect or incisional hernia develops at a previous surgical incision site (1). VHs are a common condition and risk factors include obesity, previous abdominal surgery and elevated intra-abdominal pressure (2). With New Zealand's rising obesity epidemic the incidence of VH is projected to increase (3-4). Optimising the peri-operative care of patients undergoing VH repair is critical to cost-effective healthcare of this increasingly significant issue.