Lumbar hernias are difficult to repair due to their proximity to bone and inadequate surrounding tissue to buttress the repair. We analyzed the outcome of patients undergoing a novel retromuscular lumbar hernia repair technique. The repair was performed in ten patients using a polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene mesh placed in an extraperitoneal, retromuscular position with at least 5 cm overlap of the hernia defect. The mesh was fixed with circumferential, transfascial, permanent sutures and inferiorly fixed to the iliac crest by suture bone anchors. Five hernias were recurrent, and five were incarcerated; seven were incisional hernias, and three were posttraumatic. Back and abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom. Mean hernia size was 227 cm(2) (60-504) with a mesh size of 620 cm(2) (224-936). Mean operative time was 181 min (120-269), with a mean blood loss of 128 ml (50-200). Mean length of stay was 5.2 days (2-10), and morphine equivalent requirement was 200 mg (47-460). There were no postoperative complications or deaths. After a mean follow-up of 40 months (3-99) there have been no recurrences. Our sublay repair of lumbar hernias with permanent suture fixation is safe and to date has resulted in no recurrences. Suture bone anchors ensure secure fixation of the mesh to the iliac crest and may eliminate a common area of recurrence.