Components separation for abdominal wall reconstruction: The Memphis modification

Since the advent of damage control surgery, more patients are left with an open abdomen. Surgeons are then left with the challenge of how to restore continuity of the abdominal wall. Many different techniques have been utilized for reconstruction with widely variable recurrence rates, mainly depending on the length of follow-up. A modification of the components separation technique was developed in Memphis, Tennessee at the Presley Memorial Trauma Center. This modification greatly increased the length gained in the midline. Additionally, many patients can be reconstructed without the use of prosthetics, reducing the infectious complications. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe in detail how to perform a modification of the components separation technique that has been shown to have one of the lowest recurrence rates in the literature.