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Guidelines are increasingly determining the decision process in day-to-day clinical work. Guidelines describe the current best possible standard in diagnostics and therapy. They should be developed by an international panel of experts, whereby alongside individual experience, above all, the results of comparative studies are decisive. According to the results of high-ranking scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals, statements and recommendations are formulated, and these are graded strictly according to the criteria of evidence-based medicine. Guidelines can therefore be valuable in helping particularly the young surgeon in his or her day-to-day work to find the best decision for the patient when confronted with a wide and confusing range of options. However, even experienced surgeons benefit because by virtue of a heavy workload and commitment, they often find it difficult to keep up with the ever-increasing published literature. All guidelines require regular updating, usually every 3 years, in line with progress in the field. The current Guidelines focus on technique and perioperative management of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair and constitute the first comprehensive guidelines on this topic. In this issue of Surgical Endoscopy,the first part of the Guidelines is published including sections on basics, indication for surgery, perioperative management, and key points of technique. The next part (Part 2) of the Guidelines will address complications and comparisons between open and laparoscopic techniques. Part 3 will cover mesh technology, hernia prophylaxis, technique-related issues, new technologic developments, lumbar and other unusual hernias, and training/education.

Peritoneal dialysis is becoming more and more common as a method of treating patients at the final stage of renal failure. In the year 2002 the number of patients treated with this method in Poland amounted to 1324. Studies have demonstrated that inguinal and abdominal hernias develop more frequently in chronic renal failure patients. The percentage of patients with hernia diagnosed within the first five years of dialysis is about 10%. Continuation of dialysis with the hernia condition left untreated may result in severe complications which are the third most frequent cause of converting treatment method into hemodialysis in PD patients. Currently in Poland there is no national standard in existence as to the management of hernias, and the only British standard from 1998 does not reflect the present expertise of either surgical treatment or dialysis methods. The aim of the current questionnaire based study investigating Polish peritoneal dialysis centers was to assess the treatment when hernia had been diagnosed in the PD patient. Of 49 dialysis centers in Poland, 39 do have protocols on managing the patient before and after the operation. A considerable diversity has been found as to surgical techniques used and the ways the patients are managed in hospital. Following the need expressed by 33 dialysis centers in Poland for some standard for relevant procedures, the authors formulated principles of modern hernia treatment in PD patients. Accordingly, the main principles include: 1) consulting a surgeon collaborating with the center before qualifying for peritoneal dialysis and when hernia symptoms have manifested; 2) Tension-free methods used in a treatment of choice (recommended by PHS); 3) Application of antibiotic prophylaxis (preferably first generation cephalosporin); 4) Induction of local or epidural anesthesia; 5) Peritoneal dialysis programme does not need to be discontinued but low volume dwells or preferably intermittent APD is recommended immediately after surgery.