Abdominal Wall Shear Wave Elastography for the Assessment of Biomechanical Changes in Patients with Incisional Hernias
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2415-8127.2026.74.3Keywords:
incisional hernia, abdominal wall, shear wave elastography, biomechanics, hernia repairAbstract
Introduction. In the surgical management of large incisional hernias, objective diagnostic methods are needed to assess the biomechanical properties of the abdominal wall musculature. Objective. To evaluate shear wave velocity (SWS) in the anterolateral abdominal wall muscles in patients with incisional hernias of different sizes. Materials. The study included 114 patients with large midline incisional hernias (W2-W3). The mean age was 58.01±8.54 years. The mean hernia defect size was 10.17±3.94 cm, ranging from 7 to 23 cm (median, 9.0 cm). Results. The mean SWS in patients with large midline incisional hernias was within the established reference range. Reduced elasticity of the rectus abdominis was observed in 36.8% of cases, of the external oblique in 40.4%, of the internal oblique in 36.8%, and of the transversus abdominis in 32.5% of cases. Increased SWS of the rectus abdominis was observed in 42.1% of cases, of the external oblique in 36.8%, of the internal oblique in 48.2%, and of the transversus abdominis in 53.5% of cases. Conclusion. Patients with W2-W3 midline incisional hernias demonstrate biomechanical heterogeneity of the abdominal wall, characterized by both reduced and increased tissue stiffness in the anterolateral abdominal wall muscles
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