Ventral hernias refer to fascial defects of the anterolateral abdominal wall through which intermittent or continuous protrusion of abdominal tissue or organs may occur (Fig. 1). They are either congenital or acquired. In adults, more than 80% of ventral hernias result from previous surgery, hence the term incisional hernias. They have been reported to occur after 0–26% of abdominal procedures. Although these hernias mostly become clinically manifest between 2 and 5 years after surgery, studies have shown that the process starts within the first postoperative month. They are said to occur as a result of a biomechanical failure of the acute fascial wound coupled with clinically relevant impediments to acute tissue repair and normal support function of the abdominal wall.