These results show that (1) the separation of components technique is safe and effective for repairing primary and recurrent ventral hernias in morbidly obese patients; (2) a panniculectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass performed in conjunction with the hernia repair does not increase the morbidity or the hernia recurrence rate; and (3) comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and infe