This study is a multicentre, clinical randomized controlled trial comparing the use of incisional negative pressure wound therapy versus standard sterile dressings in high-risk ventral hernia repairs. The trial will be enrolling patients undergoing elective or emergent ventral hernia repair who have risk factors for surgical wound complications and randomizing them to either receive a PREVENA incisional negative pressure wound therapy system dressing for 7 days post-operatively or a standard sterile dressing.for 2 days post-operatively. The primary outcome will be a composite of a variety of surgical site complications including wound infection, dehiscence, seroma / hematoma formation, non-healing wound, early hernia recurrence, and fistula formation. These will be evaluated by unblinded clinical judgement of treating physicians, and blinded assessment with ultrasonography. Secondary outcomes will include perceived difference in Quality of Life and cost-effectiveness of the intervention.
The investigators are testing the ability of vacuum dressings to improve wound healing for patients having large hernias surgically repaired who are at risk of having wound complications. The trial will randomly be giving some patients having this surgery the vacuum dressing and some a standard dressing and observing how their wounds heal in hospital and at follow-up appointments.