Midline and lateral incisional hernia zones

The most critical anatomical information about an incisional hernia is its location on the abdominal wall and its size. The European Hernia Society (EHS) classification for incisional abdominal wall hernias divides the abdomen into a medial zone and a lateral zone. The medial zone, defined as medial to the lateral margin of the rectus sheath, is subdivided into five subzones (subxiphoid, epigastric, umbilical, infraumbilical, and suprapubic). The lateral zone is subdivided into four subzones (subcostal, flank, iliac, and lumbar).