Hernia Register Research Articles

O20 ASSESSING THE VALIDITY AND COVER RATE OF NATIONAL HERNIA REGISTERS

Abstract Aim To assess the validity and cover rate of the Swedish hernia register. Material and Methods Annual validation of the Swedish Hernia Register has been carried out since the start in 1992 and since 2013 in a more standardized way to allow a systematic data collection and evaluation. 10% of all participating units are randomly selected each year in a specific region of Sweden, ensuring a systematic validation of all regions from North to South. Data from 2013 to 2018 was analyzed regarding data quality and from 2014 to 2018 regarding cover rate. All operations registered at the validated clinics was checked against the Swedish Hernia Register to assess cover rate. 50 operations were randomly selected at each clinic and data in the Swedish Hernia register was compared to the medical records to evaluate data quality. Results In total 55 participating units were evaluated and 73764 variables compared to medical records. Cover rate between 2014 to 2018 was 97% and proportion of correct variables was 98%. Most frequent errors where ASA-grade, date at which the patient was put on the waiting list and postoperative complications. Conclusions This unique validation of a national hernia register show a high cover rate and good quality of data. Efforts to maintain and improve national registers are of great importance. Research with data from the Swedish hernia register should be evaluated on the basis of the results presented in this study.

O39 ASSOCIATION OF DIFFERENT MESH AND MESH FIXATION COMBINATIONS WITH REOPERATION RISK AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC GROIN HERNIA SURGERY. A SWEDISH HERNIA REGISTRY STUDY OF 25,190 TEP AND TAPP REPAIRS

Abstract Aim The HerniaSurge guidelines concerning mesh and fixation options in laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) groin hernia repair are based on studies focusing on either mesh or fixation. We hypothesized that the value of such recommendations is limited by lacking knowledge on how mesh and fixation interact. The present registry-based nationwide cohort study compared different mesh/fixation combinations regarding relative risks for reoperation after TEP and TAPP. Material and Methods All TEP and TAPP with standard polypropylene (StdPPM) or lightweight (LWM) flat meshes, combined with either tacks, fibrin glue, or no fixation, registered in the Swedish Hernia Registry 2005-2017 were included. Endpoint was reoperation due to recurrence as of December 31, 2018. Multivariable Cox regression rendered relative risk differences between the exposures, expressed as hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Of 25 190 repairs, 924 (3.7%) were later reoperated for recurrence. The lowest, mutually equivalent, reoperation risks were associated with StdPPM without fixation (HR 1), StdPPM with metal tacks (HR 0.8, CI 0.4-1.4), StdPPM with fibrin glue (HR 1.1, CI 0.7-1.6), and LWM with fibrin glue (HR 1.2, CI 0.97-1.6). LWM correlated otherwise with increased risk, whether without fixation (HR 2.0, CI 1.6-2.6), or affixed with metal (HR 1.7, CI 1.1-2.7), or absorbable tacks (HR 2.4, CI 1.8-3.1). Conclusions With StdPPM, fixation seems not to improve outcomes, despite being costlier. Thus, for this mesh category, we recommend non-fixation. With LWM, we recommend fibrin glue fixation, which was the only LWM alternative on par with non-affixed StdPPM.

O17 CHRONIC GROIN PAIN DUE TO OR DESPITE THE HERNIA REPAIR

Abstract Aim There is a discrepancy between the high frequency of chronic post-operative pain reported in questionnaire-based studies after groin hernia surgery and the clinical experience of many surgeons in which it is infrequent that patients return after surgery because of chronic post-operative pain. This is supported by the Swedish Hernia Registry, where the proportion of patients who are re-operated for chronic post-operative pain is 0.02-0.03% for open methods and less than 0,01% for laparo-endoscopic methods. The aim of this study is to find the incidence of non-surgical causes of chronic groin pain and other patient-reported outcomes after inguinal hernia surgery. Material and Methods Prospective cohort observation study of patients evaluated for suspected inguinal hernia-related symptoms at a hernia clinic in Sweden during 1 year. Patients completed validated pain forms before surgery and 6 and 12 months after surgery. Patients were assessed preoperatively about the possible causes of groin pain according to a checklist. For this purpose, a questionnaire of inguinal hernia-related symptoms was used. Patients with moderate or severe chronic groin pain after surgery were offered to participate in a clinical examination where the pain was evaluated for probable cause according to a checklist. Results 574 patients were included in the study, of which 372 were operated on and answered the post-operative questionnaires. Preliminary results on surgical and non-surgical causes of chronic groin pain after hernioplasty and other patient-reported outcomes will be presented at Hernia 2021 EHS-AHS Joint Congress. Conclusions Proportion of patients with chronic groin pain related to groin hernia surgery and other non-surgical pathologies will be reported.

P116 “KIGNSNORTH MODIFIED SCORE” FOR OPEN INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR COMPLICATIONS PREDICTION. POINTHER STUDY

Abstract Aim Aim of our study is to analysis of postoperative outcomes (30 days) after elective unilateral open anterior inguinal hernia repair and prove correlation to modified Kingsnorth (MK) score classification system. Material and Methods Prospective registered (NTC 04806828) study of all consecutive unilateral open anterior groin hernia repair performed at a University Hospital General Surgery Department from January 2019 to December 2020. Data was stored at National Spanish Groin Hernia Registry (EVEREG). All patients were preoperatively classified using MK score. Statistical analysis of postoperative complications and their relation to preoperative modified Kingsnorth scale was performed. Results 403 patients were included. 61% were performed as ambulatory surgery. 15.7% had more than 5-8 MK punctuation. A total of 62 patients had postoperative complications, 81% of all complications were classified as Clavien I. Higher Surgery duration was directly related to higher MK (Pearson's correlation 0.291; P < 0.0001score.) Statistically significant relationship with the presence of higher rate of complications were a KN score of 5-8 (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.07-4.82; P = 0.03) whereas performance of surgery by an abdominal wall surgery specialist had less complications (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.08-0.92; P = 0.03) Conclusions MK classification predicts surgical wound complications on patients who undergo a primary unilateral inguinal hernia surgery. A KN score of 5-8 had a higher probability of wound complications. When surgery was performed by a specialist in abdominal wall surgery, less postoperative complications were observed.

O33 TREATMENT OF INCARCERATED GROIN HERNIA - EMERGING EVIDENCE BASED ON THE SWEDISH HERNIA REGISTER

AimThe evidence base for statements about risk factors, morbidity and mortality for emergency hernia repair is mostly low quality. The aim of this study is to elucidate risk factors for the development of incarcerated hernia and outcome after adult emergency hernia repair using data from the Swedish Hernia Register (SHR).Material and MethodsData in this observational study were extracted from the SHR. It included registered cases between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019. Maximal follow-up was until December 31, 2020. Demographic data were analysed descriptively, risk analyses were performed using multivariate- and Cox-regression models.ResultsA total of 164.844 cases could be included after application of the in- and exclusion criteria. Women [odds ratio (OR) 1.42 99%CI 1.32–1.51], patients with lateral hernia [OR 1.54, 99%CI 1.47–1.61], femoral hernia [OR 14.63, 99%CI 13.32–16.06] and hernia recurrence [OR 2.46, 99%CI 2.33–2.60] were at higher risk of developing an incarcerated hernia. The highest strangulation risk was seen among women [OR 2.36, 99%CI 1.91–2.90], femoral hernia [OR 7.00, 99%CI 5.40–9.11] and recurrent hernia [1.90, 99%CI 1.54–2.33]. Patients with hernia incarceration or strangulation suffer significantly more frequent from postoperative complications [16.7% and 40.9% respectively, both p < 0.001].ConclusionsThe data demonstrate that certain risks groups exist, which are prone to suffer from hernia incarceration and strangulation. These at risk patients should be prioritized, especially during the reorganisation of services to cope with the massive surgical backlog in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

P098 DO POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS CORRELATE TO CHRONIC PAIN FOLLOWING INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR? A PROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM THE SWEDISH HERNIA REGISTER

Abstract Aim To analyse if postoperative complications constitute a predictor for the risk of developing long-term groin pain. Material and Methods Population-based prospective cohort study of 30,659 patients operated for inguinal hernia 2015-2017 included in the Swedish Hernia Register. Registered post-operative complications were categorised into hematomas, surgical site infections, seromas, urinary tract complications, and acute post-operative pain. A questionnaire enquiring about groin pain was distributed to all patients one year after surgery. Reported level of pain one year after surgery was analysed against postoperative complications using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results The response rate was 64.5%. In total 19,773 eligible participants responded to the questionnaire whereof 73.4% had undergone open anterior mesh repair and 26.6% had undergone endo-laparoscopic mesh repair. Registered postoperative complications were: 750 hematomas (2.3%), 516 surgical site infections (1.6%), 395 seromas (1.2%), 1,216 urinary tract complications (3.7%), and 520 hernia repairs with acute post-operative pain (1.6%). Among patients who had undergone open anterior mesh repair, analyses showed an association between persistent pain and hematomas (OR 2.03, CI 1.30-3.18), surgical site infections (OR 2.18, CI 1.27-3.73) and acute post-operative pain (OR 7.46, CI 4.02-13.87). Analysis of patients with endo-laparoscopic repair showed an association between persistent pain and acute post-operative pain (OR 9.35, CI 3.18-27.48). Conclusions Acute postoperative pain was a strong predictor for persistent pain following both open anterior and endo-laparoscopic hernia repair. Surgical site infections and hematomas were predictors for persistent pain following open anterior hernia repair, although the rate of reported postoperative complications was low.

O27 THE IMPACT OF NERVE MANAGEMENT ON THE RISK FOR PERSISTING POSTOPERATIVE PAIN FOLLOWING OPEN ANTERIOR MESH REPAIR OF INGUINAL HERNIA

Abstract Aim The impact of peripheral nerve management on post-operative pain is poorly known. The aim was to evaluate how management of the inguinal nerves during anterior mesh hernia repair affects the risk for long-term postoperative pain. Material and Methods Cross-sectional study based on the Swedish Hernia Register (SHR). Includes patients over 18 years of age with an open anterior repair during 2012-2018, who responded to a one-year follow-up questionnaire regarding pain. Ordered logistic regression analysis was applied to determine risk factors for pain. Results In total 35,720 patients who were operated with anterior mesh repair responded to the PROM questionnaire. Overall, 15.6% reported pain interfering with daily activities. The risk for persisting groin pain one year after surgery was not impacted by transecting the iilioingiounal nerve (0.49), the iliohypogastric nerve (0.17) or the genital branch of the genotiofemoral nerve (0.25) in a multivariable ordinal regression adjusting for anaesthesia, gender, age and emergency surgery. Conclusions Intraoperative management of the three main inguinal nerves was not associated with the risk for persisting pain in the operated groin one year after surgery.

Epidemiology and Outcomes for Frail Patients in a National Hernia Registry

Epidemiology and Outcomes for Frail Patients in a National Hernia Registry

173 Long Term Analysis of The Evolution of Practice and Results of Abdominal Wall Reconstruction by A Single Surgeon

Abstract Background It is estimated that at least 12-15% of abdominal operations lead to incisional hernias, and Worldwide, evidence shows high rates of recurrence after surgical repair ranging from 12.7% in the Danish hernia registry to 23% in the Swedish registry. Method This is a retrospective analysis of the practice of a single surgeon at a tertiary centre. An electronic database provided all hernia surgeries done by the surgeon. A total of 185 patients with complete data were included who had open hernia repair. Electronic patient records were analysed to collect the data. Results 185 patients, with a median age of 57 years (IQR 68 – 49), and BMI of 31.14 (IQR 36.02 – 27.52), had a hernia recurrence rate of 15.6% (29/185). More than 80% of the cases were complex hernias with a European Hernia classification of M3 and/ or W3, with dense intestinal adhesions and multiple previous repairs. Variability in techniques and mesh evolved over this period, from anterior component separation to transversus abdominis release to achieve closure of the abdomen. Polypropylene meshes were used for non-contaminated or less complex cases. The use of biologics in the early years has been superseded by biosynthetic. Conclusions The creation of the abdominal wall unit and subsequent MDT at this centre resulted in a rise of total procedures, complexity of cases and patients with significant co-morbidities. Specialised abdominal wall surgeons are associated with better results when performing complex abdominal wall reconstructions.

Laparoscopic hernia surgery in Sweden 2010 to 2020—scientifically highlights from the national Swedish Hernia Register

: The Swedish Hernia Register (SHR) is a national quality register with more than 350,000 prospectively registered groin hernia repairs. Studies from the SHR have addressed important and clinically relevant issues within the field of laparoscopic groin hernia surgery and the aim of this paper is to present five of the most innovative patient-oriented publications including analysis of laparoscopic hernia repairs based on data retrieved from the SHR published between 2010 and 2020. After a Medline search was conducted, papers were graded and five papers were selected because of their specific nature, quality of methodology or international interest. The papers in our review studied a wide range of topics such as the risk of male infertility after mesh repair, risk of groin hernia surgery after open and minimally invasive prostatectomy, chronic pain after groin hernia surgery vs. method of repair, gender differences in risk of reoperation vs. method of repair and risk of reoperation vs. low and high molecular weight of the mesh. When gathering large amount of high-quality data, including almost total national coverage of all inguinal surgeries performed, it is possible to make valid conclusions and recommendation even on rare conditions and to sort out techniques that does not perform as intended, or does not apply to specific clinical situations. The studies above show that a laparoscopic repair is associated with a decreased risk of chronic pain for both gender to the price of a significantly higher risk of reoperation in men. The contrary is shown in women with a decreased risk of reoperation using laparoscopic repair compared to open repair.

Comparison of outcomes in rectus abdominis diastasis repair-which data do we need in a hernia registry?

Rectus abdominis diastasis (RAD) ± concomitant hernia is a complex hernia entity of growing significance in everyday clinical practice. Due to a multitude of described surgical techniques, a so far missing universally accepted classification and hardly existing comparative studies, there are no clear recommendations in guidelines. Therefore, "RAD ± concomitant hernia" will be documented as a separate hernia entity in the Herniamed Registry in the future. For this purpose, an appropriate case report form will be developed on the basis of the existing literature. A systematic search of the available literature was performed in March 2021 using Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, Springer Link, and the Cochrane Library. 93 publications were identified as relevant for this topic. In total 45 different surgical techniques for the repair of RAD ± concomitant hernia were identified in the surgical literature. RAD ± concomitant hernia is predominantly repaired by plastic but also by general surgeons. Classification of RAD ± concomitant hernia is based on a proposal of the German Hernia Society and the International Endohernia Society. Surgical techniques are summarized as groups subject to certain aspects: Techniques with abdominoplasty, open techniques, mini-less-open and endoscopic sublay techniques, mini-less-open and endoscopic subcutaneous/preaponeurotic techniques and laparoscopic techniques. Additional data impacting the outcome are also recorded as is the case for other hernia entities. Despite the complexity of this topic, documentation of RAD ± concomitant hernia has not proved to be any more cumbersome than for any of the other hernia entities when using this classification. Using the case report form described here, the complex hernia entity RAD ± concomitant hernia can be recorded in a registry for proper analysis of comparative treatment options.

Implementation of a synoptic operative note for abdominal wall hernia repair: a statewide pilot evaluating completeness and communication of intraoperative details.

BackgroundVariable approaches to intraoperative communication impede our understanding of surgical decision-making and best practices. This is critical among hernia repairs, where improved outcomes are reliant on understanding the impact of different patient characteristics and surgical approaches. In this context, a hernia-specific synoptic operative note was piloted as part of an effort to create a statewide hernia registry. We aimed to understand the impact of the synoptic operative note on variable missingness and evaluate barriers and facilitators to improved intraoperative communication and note adoption.MethodsIn January 2020, the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC) registry was expanded to capture hernia-specific intraoperative variables. A synoptic operative note for hernia repair was piloted at 8 hospitals. The primary outcome was change in hernia variable communication, measured by missingness. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, we performed semi-structured interviews with data abstractors (n = 4) and surgeons (n = 4) at 5 pilot sites to assess barriers and facilitators of implementation. Interviews were iteratively analyzed using content analysis with both deductive and inductive approaches.ResultsFrom January to June 2020, 870 hernia repairs were performed across 8 pilot and 53 control sites. Pilot sites had significantly less missingness for all hernia-specific variables. At pilot sites, 46% of notes were fully complete in regard to hernia variables, compared to 21% at control sites (p value < 0.001). While collection of intraoperative variables improved after synoptic note implementation, low note adoption was reported. Facilitators of improved variable collection were (1) communication with data abstractors and (2) stakeholder acknowledgment of widespread benefit, while barriers included (1) surgeon resistance to practice change, (2) EMR/technology, and (3) interruptions to communication and implementation.ConclusionThis mixed-methods evaluation of a synoptic operative note implementation suggests that sustained communication, particularly with abstractors, was the most impactful intervention. Future implementation efforts may have improved effectiveness with interventions supplementary to surgeon-level direction.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00464-021-08614-8.

Leveraging a statewide quality collaborative to understand population-level hernia care

BackgroundAlthough ventral hernia repair (VHR) is extremely common, there is profound variation in operative technique and outcomes. This study describes the results of a statewide registry capturing hernia-specific variables to understand population-level practice patterns. MethodsRetrospective analysis of adult patients in a new statewide hernia registry undergoing VHR in 2020. Results919 patients underwent VHR across 57 hospitals and 279 surgeons. Hernia width was <2 cm in 233 (25%) patients, 2–5 cm in 420 (46%) patients, 5–10 cm in 171 (19%) patients, and >10 cm in 95 (10%) patients. Mesh was used in 79% of cases and varied in use from 53% of hernias <2 cm to 95% of hernias >10 cm. The most common mesh type was synthetic non-absorbable (46%), followed by synthetic absorbable mesh (37%). The incidence of complications was significantly associated with hernia width. ConclusionsA population-level, hernia-specific database captured operative details for 919 patients in 1 year. There was significant variation in mesh use and outcomes based on hernia size. These nuanced data may inform higher quality clinical practice.

Parastomal Hernia: A Retrospective Nationwide Cohort Study Comparing Different Techniques with Long-Term Follow-Up

BackgroundParastomal hernia repair is a complex surgical procedure with high recurrence and complication rates. This retrospective nationwide cohort study presents the results of different parastomal hernia repair techniques in Finland.MethodsAll patients who underwent a primary end ostomy parastomal hernia repair in the nine participating hospitals during 2007–2017 were included in the study. The primary outcome measure was recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes were complications and re-operation rate.ResultsIn total, 235 primary elective parastomal hernia repairs were performed in five university hospitals and four central hospitals in Finland during 2007–2017. The major techniques used were the Sugarbaker (38.8%), keyhole (16.3%), and sandwich techniques (15.4%). In addition, a specific intra-abdominal keyhole technique with a funnel-shaped mesh was utilized in 8.3% of the techniques; other parastomal hernia repair techniques were used in 21.3% of the cases. The median follow-up time was 39.0 months (0–146, SD 35.3). The recurrence rates after the keyhole, Sugarbaker, sandwich, specific funnel-shaped mesh, and other techniques were 35.9%, 21.5%, 13.5%, 15%, and 35.3%, respectively. The overall re-operation rate was 20.4%, while complications occurred in 26.3% of patients.ConclusionThe recurrence rate after parastomal hernia repair is unacceptable in this nationwide cohort study. As PSH repair volumes are low, further multinational, randomized controlled trials and hernia registry data are needed to improve the results.

Surgical management of infected abdominal wall mesh: an analysis using the American Hernia Society Quality Collaborative.

Several management strategies exist for the treatment of infected abdominal mesh. Using the American Hernia Society Quality Collaborative, we examined management patterns and 30-day outcomes of infected mesh removal with concomitant incisional hernia repair. All patients undergoing incisional hernia repair with removal of infected mesh were identified. A complete repair (CR) was defined as fascial closure with mesh; a partial repair (PR) was defined as fascial closure without mesh or no fascial closure with mesh. A two-tailed p value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 282 patients were identified: 136 patients in CR group and 146 patients in PR group. Patients had similar comorbidities but differed in wound class (class IV: 55% CR vs 83% SR, p < 0.001) and incidence of associated concomitant colorectal procedures (5% CR vs 18% SR, p = 0.015). Sublay placement was used primarily in CR (94%) compared to PR (52% inlay, 48% sublay). When comparing CR to PR, length of stay (median 6, p = 0.69), complications (40% vs 44%, p = 0.44), surgical site infections (16% vs 21%, p = 0.27), surgical site occurrence (30% vs 35%, p = 0.45), and readmission within 30days (9% vs. 13%) were not statistically different. Analysis of data from a multicenter hernia registry comparing CR and PR during infected mesh removal and concurrent incisional hernia repair has not identified higher rates of short-term complications between groups in the presence of infection.

Compliance to the South African ventral hernia guidelines: inaugural results from the HIG(SA) registry

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The Hernia Interest Group (HIG) of South Africa (SA), following the publication of their inguinal and ventral hernia guidelines (in 2015 and 2016 respectively), developed a hernia registry, the HIG(SA) hernia registry METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the prospectively maintained HIG(SA) hernia registry from 1 February 2019 to 29 February 2020. Compliance to six recommendations made in the HIG(SA) ventral hernia guidelines were assessed in both the public and private healthcare systems RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-three ventral hernia repair cases were included in the study. Fifty-four per cent were private and 46% were public sector cases. Laparoscopic repair for patients with a BMI &gt; 35 kg/m2 occurred in 38% of eligible cases and a minimum 5 cm of mesh overlap was achieved in 50% of cases. Overall, 80% of elective cases occurred in non-smokers; 97% of the intraperitoneal on-lay mesh (IPOM) repairs used composite mesh; 96% of ventral hernias with defects of larger than 2 cm and 95% of incisional hernias were repaired with mesh. Non-smokers undergoing repair numbered 72% in public and 85% in private practice, p = 0.01 CONCLUSION: Ventral hernia repair practices in SA facilities overall had good compliance to four out of the six HIG(SA) ventral hernia guidelines highlighted for the purposes of this study. The two guidelines that had poor compliance overall were 'laparoscopic repair for patients with a BMI of &gt; 35 kg/m2' and 'ensuring a mesh overlap of 5 cm'. The public sector had higher rates of current smokers undergoing elective ventral hernia repair Keywords: registry, low-middle income countries, ventral hernia, hernia guidelines

METHODS FOR ASSESSING THE RISKS OF COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HERNIAS OF THE ANTERIOR ABDOMINAL WALL. REVIEW

The work is based on the analysis of literature data devoted to the problem of assessing postoperative complications in patients with primary and incisional hernias of the anterior abdominal wall. The main purpose of this review is identifying existing methods for assessing local, general perioperative complications and determining of the most reliable prognostic scales and methods for assessing risk factors among the existing ones.The first part of the article is devoted to the assessment of the general condition of patients with hernias of the anterior abdominal wall. The existing scales for assessing modifiable risk factors (MFR), methods of preventing complications, including abdominal bandage, are considered. The main risk factors were determined: CDC wound class, patient age, hernia size, smoking, diabetes, risk 3 and higher according to ASA.In the second part, the assessment of risk factors for complications from the surgical site is considered. The problem of terminology standardization, the difference between surgical site infection (SSI), adverse surgical events (SSO) and surgical site occurrences requiring procedural interventions (SSOPI) is described. Scales for assessing the risks of perioperative complications are presented. The evolution of SSO assessment methods from a four level to a three level scale is described. The Russian experience in assessing the combination of MFR is presented.The third part describes the importance of evaluating post traumatic stress disorder in patients as a risk factor for an unfavorable course of the postoperative period. The European EuraHS QoL Questionnaire, recommended for use in the European Hernia Registry, is presented. The section also highlights the relevance of the selection of patients with hernias in outpatient surgery and one day hospitals.The main idea of developing modern methods for assessing complications after hernioplasty is a comprehensive assessment of the patient's individual profile before operations for primary and incisional hernias in different risk groups. Priority should be given to tailored specific electronic questionnaires.

Treatment of small (< 2cm) umbilical hernias: guidelines and current trends from the Herniamed Registry.

Based on meta-analyses and registry data, the European Hernia Society and the Americas Hernia Society have published guidelines for the treatment of umbilical hernias. These recommend that umbilical hernia should generally be treated by placing a non-absorbable (permanent) flat mesh into the preperitoneal space with an overlap of the hernia defect of 3cm. Suture repair should only be considered for small hernia defects of less than 1cm. Hence, the use of a mesh in general is subject to controversial debate particularly for small (< 2cm) umbilical hernias. This analysis of data from the Herniamed Registry now presents data on the treatment of small (< 2cm) umbilical hernias over the past 10years. Herniamed is an Internet-based hernia registry in which hospitals and surgical centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can voluntarily enter data on their routine hernia operations. Between 2010 and 2019, data were entered into the Herniamed Registry by 737 hospitals/surgery centers on a total of 111,765 patients with primary elective umbilical hernia repair. The prospective data were analyzed retrospectively for each year and statistically compared. Due to a higher number of cases, the years 2013 and 2019 were compared for the perioperative outcome and the years 2013 and 2018 for 1-year follow-up. Fisher's exact test was applied for unadjusted analyses between the years, using a significance level of alpha = 5%. For post hoc tests of single categories, a Bonferroni adjustment for multiple testing was implemented. A mesh technique was used to treat 45.4% of all umbilical hernias. The proportion of small (< 2cm) umbilical hernias in the total collective of umbilical hernias was 55.6%. Suture repair was used consistently over the 10-year period to treat around 75% of all small (< 2cm) umbilical hernias. Preperitoneal mesh placement as recommended in the guidelines was used only in 1.8% of cases. Between 2013 and 2019, stable values of 2 and 0.7% were observed for the postoperative complications and complication-related reoperations, respectively, with no relevant effect identified for the surgical technique. At 1-year follow-up, significantly higher rates of pain at rest (2.6 vs. 3.3), pain on exertion (5.7 vs. 6.6), and recurrences (1.3 vs. 1.8) (all p < 0.05) were identified for 2018 compared with 2013. A suture technique is still used to treat 75% of patients with small (< 2cm) umbilical hernias. The pain and recurrence rates are significantly less favorable for 2018 compared with 2013.

Building a national hernia registry in South Africa: initial ventral hernia repair results from a diverse healthcare sector.

The purpose of this paper was to introduce a new registry in a developing country by describing the demographics, management and 30-day outcomes of patients undergoing ventral hernia repair in the public and private healthcare sectors of South Africa. This study was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained hernia registry from the 1st of February 2019 to 29th of February 2020. 353 ventral hernia repair cases were recorded of which 47% were incisional hernias and the remainder were primary hernias. The median age was 54years with even distribution of males and females. Half of the patients were obese with a median BMI of 31kg/m2. The private sector performed 190 cases (54%) and the public sector 163 cases (46%). The public sector had more current smokers undergoing elective repairs, 28% vs 15%, p = 0.01 and performed more emergency repair cases, 21% vs 8%, p < 0.01. The majority (89%) of hernias were repaired with mesh and one-third were repaired laparoscopically. 30day follow up was obtained in 30% of cases, the private sector had better follow up rates (42% vs 14%). Participation in the HIG (SA) registry was low with poor follow up over the first year. Ongoing prospective data capture on the HIG (SA) hernia registry will continue to provide further insights into hernia repair practices in South Africa.

Patient-reported chronic pain after open inguinal hernia repair with lightweight or heavyweight mesh: a prospective, patient-reported outcomes study.

Chronic pain after groin hernia repair is a significant problem, and it is unclear whether or not lightweight meshes help. This national register-based study investigated whether patients who underwent open anterior mesh inguinal hernia repair with lightweight mesh had less chronic pain than those who had hernia repair with heavyweight mesh. All patients registered in the Swedish Hernia Register between September 2012 and October 2016 were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing patient-reported outcome measures 1 year after surgery. The present study examined open anterior repair with mesh sutured in place with non-absorbable sutures in male patients only. The primary endpoint, chronic pain, was defined as pain present in the past week that could not be ignored and interfered with concentration (on chores) and daily activities. In total, 23 259 male patients provided data for analysis (response rate 70·6 per cent). Rates of chronic pain after repairs using regular polypropylene lightweight mesh, composite (poliglecaprone-25) polypropylene lightweight mesh and polypropylene heavyweight mesh were 15·8, 15·6 and 16·2 per cent respectively. Adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis showed no significant differences between regular (odds ratio (OR) 0·98, 95 per cent c.i. 0·90 to 1·06) or composite (OR 0·95, 0·86 to 1·04) lightweight mesh versus heavyweight mesh. The most striking risk factor for chronic pain was young age; 19·4 per cent of patients aged less than 50 years experienced pain 1 year after hernia repair (OR 1·43, 1·29 to 1·60). Patient-reported chronic pain 1 year after open mesh repair of inguinal hernia was common, particularly in young men. The risk of developing chronic pain was not influenced by the type of mesh.