Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Trends in surgery for rectus diastasis without hernia in Germany
By Paasch C et al.·2025·Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Germany·View original on Europe PMC →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Trends in operative treatment of the rectus diastasis A 13 year analysis of German nationwide hospital discharge data.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how often surgery is done for a condition called rectus diastasis, which is when the abdominal muscles separate, without any accompanying hernia. Researchers analyzed data from hospitals in Germany over 13 years and found that about 198 surgeries are performed each year, mostly on women around 46 years old. They noted that about 28% of these surgeries used a mesh to support the repair, while the rest did not. The early complication rate was low at 6.9%, but men had more complications than women. Overall, the study suggests that surgery can be a good option for certain patients with this condition, but more consistent data collection is needed for better understanding.
Abstract
<h4>Purpose</h4>The indication for surgical treatment of rectus diastasis (RD) without a coexisting hernia remains controversial. Although guidelines exist, the lack of robust data allows only weak recommendations. This study aimed to provide comprehensive nationwide data on the surgical management of RD without hernia.<h4>Methods</h4>This retrospective observational multicenter study analyzed anonymous data from the German nationwide hospital discharge dataset (2010-2023). Patients with coexisting hernia or under 18 years were excluded. The primary endpoint was the annual number of RD surgeries without hernia. Secondary endpoints included trends over 13 years, patient demographics, mesh use, and early postoperative complications.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 2,768 cases were identified (mean age 46.2 ± 13.2 years; 76.2% female). The annual case number ranged from 120 to 253, with no consistent trend. A mesh was used in 28.0% (n = 775), while 72.0% underwent reconstruction without documented mesh. Data on surgical approach (open vs. minimally invasive) were not available. The overall early complication rate was 6.9%, with bleeding and wound infections most common. Male patients had significantly higher complication rates. Major limitations include potential coding bias, underreporting, and missing data on surgical technique.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This is the first real-world big data analysis of RD repair without hernia in Germany. On average, 198 procedures are performed annually with a low complication rate. The findings support surgical treatment in selected symptomatic cases and emphasize the need for standardized coding and prospective registry data.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41428229