Abdominal desmoid tumors. A new reconstructive approach.

INTRODUCTION: Desmoid tumors are rare soft tissue tumors derived from musculoaponeurotic structures of the abdominal wall musculature. Although they are considered benign tumors because they don't metastasize to other parts of the body, they are clinically considered as malignant for their high tendency on infiltrative growth with local invasion and trend to recurrence after local excision. Several reconstructive techniques are proposed in the literature. METHODS: Nine female patients with abdominal desmoid tumors underwent the removal of a mass of tissue running from the skin to peritoneum near the tumor with a safety margin in macroscopically normal tissue at least of 5 centimeters from the edge of the tumor. After wide excision, a polypropylene mesh was placed in the rear muscular pocket without anchoring suture (sliding mesh sutureless hernioplasty) RESULTS: No patients had perioperative complications or abdominal wall weakness or an incisional hernia in the following 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: We consider this technique of abdominal wall reconstruction after desmoid tumor removal a simple procedure that reduces relapsing events and recurrences of abdominal hernia, reducing tension and pain caused by the traditional suture repair technique.