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ORIGINAL RESEARCH

J. Abdom. Wall Surg.
Volume 3 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/jaws.2024.13830
This article is part of the Special Issue Rectus Diastasis View all 6 articles

Impact of Minimal Incision Repair of Rectus Abdominis Diastasis (MIRRAD) on Quality of Life and Stress Incon nence: A Prospec ve Study

Asmatullah Katawazai Asmatullah Katawazai 1,2,3*Göran Wallin Göran Wallin 1,2,3Anna Ärlebäck Anna Ärlebäck 2,3Gabriel Sandblom Gabriel Sandblom 4,5
  • 1 School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
  • 2 Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
  • 3 Örebro University, Örebro, Örebro, Sweden
  • 4 Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
  • 5 Karolinska Institutet (KI), Solna, Stockholm, Sweden

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Aim: This study evaluates the impact of the minimal incision repair of rectus abdominis diastasis (MIRRAD) procedure on physical activity, muscle strength, quality of life, and overall satisfaction in women with postpartum rectus abdominis diastasis (PP-RAD). Methods: A cohort of 31 female patients, aged 20-50 years, diagnosed with PP-RAD unresponsive to conservative treatment, underwent the MIRRAD procedure. Assessments were conducted preoperatively and one year postoperatively, these included the Modified Abdominal Trunk Function Protocol (MATFP), Disability Rating Index (DRI), and Urinary Disability Index (UDI) questionnaires. Physical activity intensity was monitored using accelerometers. Results: Significant improvements were observed in vigorous physical activities (Z = -2.352, p = .019), vector magnitude counts per minute (Z = -2.163, p = .031), and steps per minute (Z = -3.131, p = .002). DRI showed significant improvements in physical tasks like dressing, walking, and strenuous work (Z ranging from -2.705 to -4.603, p < .001). UDI indicated significant improvements in urinary symptoms, including reduced frequency (Z = -2.984, p = .003) and less urinary leakage (Z = -2.357, p = .018). MATFP demonstrated gains in back and abdominal muscle strength (Z = -4.321, p < .001) and trunk stability (Z = -3.991, p < .001). Conclusion: The MIRRAD procedure significantly improves physical strength, trunk stability, and urinary function, enhancing daily activities and overall physical health in women with PP-RAD. Further research is recommended to evaluate long-term outcomes.

    Keywords: Rectus abdominis diastasis, quality of life, Ventral Hernia, Linea Alba, Postpartum rectus diastasis

    Received: 19 Sep 2024; Accepted: 19 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Katawazai, Wallin, Ärlebäck and Sandblom. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Asmatullah Katawazai, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden

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