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Many countries are facing an aging population. As people live longer, surgeons face the prospect of operating on increasingly older patients. Traditional teaching is that with older age, these patients face an increased risk of mortality and morbidity, even to a level deemed too prohibitive for surgery. However, this is not always true. An active 90-year-old patient can be much fitter than an overweight, sedentary 65-year-old patient with comorbidities. Recent literature shows that frailty-an age-related cumulative decline in multiple physiological systems, is therefore a better predictor of mortality and morbidity than chronological age alone. Despite recognition of frailty as an important tool in identifying vulnerable surgical patients, many surgeons still shun objective tools. The aim of this position paper was to perform a review of the existing literature and to provide recommendations on emergency laparotomy and in frail patients. This position paper was reviewed by an international expert panel composed of 37 experts who were asked to critically revise the manuscript and position statements. The position paper was conducted according to the WSES methodology. We shall present the derived statements upon which a consensus was reached, specifying the quality of the supporting evidence and suggesting future research directions., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Anastomotic leak (AL) is a feared complication of esophago-gastric surgery. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used to treat postoperative pain. Previous analyses conveyed heterogeneous data for colorectal surgery with a tendency toward high risk for AL after NSAIDs administration. In the setting of upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery data are even more puzzled. The purpose of the present study was to assess whether an association exists between postoperative NSAIDs administration and AL after esophago-gastric surgery. PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched up to November 2022. The included studies evaluated outcomes for NSAIDs vs. no NSAIDs administration after esophago-gastric surgery. The primary outcome was anastomotic leak (AL). Risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used to assess pooled effect size and relative inference. Six studies (43,784 patients) were included. The patient age ranged from 31 to 84 years, 82.4% were males and preoperative BMI ranged from 15 to 31 kg/m 2 . Esophagectomy was performed in 95% of patients. NSAIDs were administered in 18,075 (41.3%) patients. The cumulative incidence of AL was similar for NSAIDs vs. no NSAIDs (13.6% vs. 13.4%). The risk for postoperative AL was similar for NSAIDs vs. no NSAIDs administration (RR 1.49; 95% CI 0.81-2.75; p = 0.19). The cumulative incidence of postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding (0.36% vs. 0.39%), acute kidney injury (0.62% vs. 0.71%), and in-hospital mortality (2.39% vs. 2.66%) were comparable. NSAIDs administration for postoperative analgesia seems not associated with an increased risk for AL after esophago-gastric surgery., (© 2023. Italian Society of Surgery (SIC).)

Background: While numerous techniques have been defined for esophagojejunostomy (EJ) during total gastrectomy including hand-sewn and stapled anastomoses, mechanical linear-stapled (LS) and circular-stapled (CS) anastomoses are widely adopted. However, there are scarce data on the optimal stapled technique for EJ during total gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PubMed were investigated up to October 30, 2022. We considered articles that appraised short-term outcomes after LS versus CS anastomosis in patients undergoing total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Anastomotic leak (AL), anastomotic stricture (AS), and anastomotic bleeding (AB) were primary outcomes. Risk ratio (RR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) were used as pooled effect size measures, whereas 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to calculate related inference. Results: Sixteen studies (3156 patients) were incorporated. Overall, 1540 (48.8%) underwent CS, whereas 1616 (51.2%) underwent LS. Compared with CS, LS was related to a condensed RR for AS (RR: 0.27; 95% CI 0.15-0.49; P  < .01), whereas no differences were found for AL (RR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.51-1.10; P  = .14) and AB (RR: 0.59; 95% CI 0.24-1.44; P  = .25). Postoperative pneumonia (RR: 0.98; P  = .94), operative time (SMD: 0.51; P  = .31), days to soft diet (SMD: -0.08; P  = .36), hospital stay (SMD: 0.19; P  = .46), and 30-day mortality (RR: 1.76; P  = .31) were comparable between LS and CS. Conclusions: For EJ during total gastrectomy, our results suggest that LS seems related to a reduced risk of AS compared with CS, although no significant differences were found for the risk of AL and AB between the two techniques. Clinical Trial Registration number: CRD42022381221.

Background: Incisional hernia (IH) represents an important complication after surgery. Prophylactic mesh reinforcement (PMR) with different mesh locations [onlay (OL), retromuscular (RM), preperitoneal (PP), and intraperitoneal (IP)] has been described to possibly reduce the risk of postoperative IH. However, data reporting the 'ideal' mesh location are sparse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal mesh location for IH prevention during elective laparotomy., Methods: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). OL, RM, PP, IP, and no mesh (NM) were compared. The primary aim was postoperative IH. Risk ratio (RR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) were used as pooled effect size measures, whereas 95% credible intervals (CrI) were used to assess relative inference., Results: Fourteen RCTs (2332 patients) were included. Overall, 1052 (45.1%) had no mesh (NM) while 1280 (54.9%) underwent PMR stratified in IP ( n =344 pts), PP ( n =52 pts), RM ( n =463 pts), and OL ( n =421 pts) placement. Follow-up ranged from 12 months to 67 months. RM (RR=0.34; 95% CrI: 0.10-0.81) and OL (RR=0.15; 95% CrI: 0.044-0.35) were associated with significantly reduced IH RR compared to NM. A tendency toward reduced IH RR was noticed for PP versus NM (RR=0.16; 95% CrI: 0.018-1.01), while no differences were found for IP versus NM (RR=0.59; 95% CrI: 0.19-1.81). Seroma, hematoma, surgical site infection, 90-day mortality, operative time and hospital length of stay were comparable among treatments., Conclusions: RM or OL mesh placement seems associated with reduced IH RR compared to NM. PP location appears promising; however, future studies are warranted to corroborate this preliminary indication., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Anastomotic leak (AL) is a feared complication after colorectal surgery. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial. C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) have been proposed as early AL indicators. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the CRP and CPT predictive values for early AL diagnosis after colorectal surgery., Methods: Systematic literature search to identify studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of postoperative CRP and CPT for AL. A Bayesian meta-analysis was carried out using a random-effects model and pooled predictive parameters to determine postoperative CRP and PCT cut-off values at different postoperative days (POD)., Results: Twenty-five studies (11,144 patients) were included. The pooled prevalence of AL was 8% (95 CI 7-9%), and the median time to diagnosis was 6.9 days (range 3-10). The derived POD3, POD4 and POD5 CRP cut-off were 15.9 mg/dl, 11.4 mg/dl and 10.9 mg/dl respectively. The diagnostic accuracy was comparable with a pooled area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80 (95% CIs 0.23-0.85), 0.84 (95% CIs 0.18-0.86) and 0.84 (95% CIs 0.18-0.89) respectively. Negative likelihood ratios (LR-) showed moderate evidence to rule out AL on POD 3 (LR- 0.29), POD4 (LR- 0.24) and POD5 (LR- 0.26). The derived POD3 and POD5 CPT cut-off were 0.75 ng/ml (AUC = 0.84) and 0.9 ng/ml (AUC = 0.92) respectively. The pooled POD5 negative LR (-0.18) showed moderate evidence to rule out AL., Conclusions: In the setting of colorectal surgery, CRP and CPT serum concentrations lower than the derived cut-offs on POD3-POD5, may be useful to rule out AL thus possibly identifying patients at low risk for AL development., (© 2022. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Background: Different methods have been described for laparoscopic hiatoplasty and hiatus hernia (HH) repair. All techniques are not standardized and the choice to reinforce or not the hiatus with a mesh is left to the operating surgeon's preference. Hiatal surface area (HSA) has been described as an attempt at standardization; in case the area is > 4 cm 2 , a mesh is used to reinforce the repair., Objective: The aim of this study was to describe a new patient-tailored algorithm (PTA), compare its performance in predicting crura mesh buttressing to HSA, and analyze outcomes., Methods: Retrospective, single-center, descriptive study (September 2018-September 2021). Adult patients (≥ 18 years old) who underwent laparoscopic HH repair. Outcomes and quality of life measured with the disease-specific gastroesophageal reflux disease health-related quality of life (GERD-HRQL) and reflux symptom index (RSI) were analyzed., Results: Fifty patients that underwent laparoscopic hiatoplasty and Toupet fundoplication were included. The median age was 61 years (range 32-83) and the median BMI was 26.7 (range 17-36). According to the PTA, 27 patients (54%) underwent simple suture repair while crural mesh buttressing with Phasix-ST® was used in 23 (46%). According to the HSA, the median hiatus area was 4.7 cm 2 while 26 patients had an HSA greater than 4 cm 2 . The overall concordance rate between PTA and HSA was 94% (47/50). The median hospital stay was 1.9 days (range 1-8) and the 90-day complication rate was 4%. The median follow-up was 18.6 months (range 1-35). Hernia recurrence was diagnosed in 6%. Postoperative dysphagia occurred in one patient (2%). The GERD-HRQL (p < 0.001) and RSI (p = 0.001) were significantly improved., Conclusions: The application of PTA for cruroplasty standardization in the setting of HH repair seems effective. While concordance with HSA is high, the PTA seems easier and promptly available in the operative theater with a potential increase in procedure standardization, reproducibility, and teaching., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Staple line reinforcement (SLR) during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the most commonly utilized techniques for SLR., Materials and Methods: Network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare no reinforcement (NR), suture oversewing (SR), glue reinforcement (GR), bioabsorbable staple line reinforcement (Gore® Seamguard®) (GoR), and clips reinforcement (CR). Risk Ratio (RR), weighted mean difference (WMD), and 95% credible intervals (CrI) were used as pooled effect size measures., Results: Overall, 3994 patients (17 RCTs) were included. Of those, 1641 (41.1%) underwent NR, 1507 (37.7%) SR, 689 (17.2%) GR, 107 (2.7%) GoR, and 50 (1.3%) CR. SR was associated with a significantly reduced risk of bleeding (RR=0.51; 95% CrI 0.31-0.88), staple line leak (RR=0.56; 95% CrI 0.32-0.99), and overall complications (RR=0.50; 95% CrI 0.30-0.88) compared to NR while no differences were found vs. GR, GoR, and CR. Operative time was significantly longer for SR (WMD=16.2; 95% CrI 10.8-21.7), GR (WMD=15.0; 95% CrI 7.7-22.4), and GoR (WMD=15.5; 95% CrI 5.6-25.4) compared to NR. Among treatments, there were no significant differences for surgical site infection (SSI), sleeve stenosis, reoperation, hospital length of stay, and 30-day mortality., Conclusions: SR seems associated with a reduced risk of bleeding, leak, and overall complications compared to NR while no differences were found vs. GR, GoR, and CR. Data regarding GoR and CR are limited while further trials reporting outcomes for these techniques are warranted., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The aim of this paper was to review the recent literature to create recommendations for the day-to-day diagnosis and surgical management of small bowel and colon injuries. Where knowledge gaps were identified, expert consensus was pursued during the 8th International Congress of the World Society of Emergency Surgery Annual (September 2021, Edinburgh). This process also aimed to guide future research., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The choice of the best reconstruction technique after distal gastrectomy (DG) remains controversial and still not defined. The purpose was to perform a comprehensive evaluation within the major type of intestinal reconstruction after DG for gastric cancer., Methods: Systematic review and network meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare Billroth I (BI), Billroth II (BII), Billroth II Braun (BII Braun), Roux-en-Y (RY), and Uncut Roux-en-Y (URY). Risk ratio (RR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) were used as pooled effect size measures while 95% credible intervals (CrI) were used to assess relative inference., Results: Ten RCTs (1456 patients) were included. Of these, 448 (33.7%) underwent BI, 220 (15.1%) BII, 114 BII Braun (7.8%), 533 (36.6%) RY, and 141 URY (9.6%). No significant differences were found among treatments for 30-day mortality, anastomotic leak, anastomotic stricture, and overall complications. At 12-month follow-up, RY was associated with a significantly reduced risk of remnant gastritis compared to BI (RR=0.56; 95% Crl 0.35-0.76) and BII reconstruction (RR=0.47; 95% Crl 0.22-0.97). Similarly, despite the lack of statistical significance, RY seems associated with a trend toward reduced endoscopically proven esophagitis compared to BI (RR=0.58; 95% Crl 0.24-1.51) and bile reflux compared to BI (RR=0.48; 95% Crl 0.17-1.41), BII (RR=0.74; 95% Crl 0.20-2.81), and BII Braun (RR=0.65; 95% Crl 0.30-1.43)., Conclusions: This network meta-analysis shows that there are five main options for intestinal anastomosis after DG. All techniques seem equally safe with comparable anastomotic leak, anastomotic stricture, overall morbidity, and short-term outcomes. In the short-term follow-up (12 months), RY seems associated with a reduced risk of remnant gastritis and a trend toward a reduced risk of bile reflux and esophagitis., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Despite the advent of innovative surgical platforms and operative techniques, a definitive indication of the best surgical option for the treatment of unilateral primary inguinal hernia remains unsettled. Purpose was to perform an updated and comprehensive evaluation within the major approaches to inguinal hernia., Methods: Systematic review and network meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compare Lichtenstein tension-free repair, laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair, and totally extraperitoneal repair (TEP). Risk ratio (RR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) were used as pooled effect size measures, whereas 95% credible intervals (CrI) were used to assess relative inference., Results: Thirty-five RCTs (7777 patients) were included. Overall, 3496 (44.9%) underwent Lichtenstein, 1269 (16.3%) TAPP, and 3012 (38.8%) TEP repair. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was significantly lower for minimally invasive repair at <12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. Postoperative chronic pain [TAPP vs Lichtenstein (RR = 0.36; 95% CrI 0.15-0.81) and TEP vs Lichtenstein (RR = 0.36; 95% CrI 0.21-0.54)] and return to work/activities [TAPP vs Lichtenstein (WMD = -3.3; 95% CrI -4.9 to -1.8) and TEP vs Lichtenstein (WMD = -3.6; 95% CrI -4.9 to -2.4)] were significantly reduced for minimally invasive approaches. Wound hematoma and infection were significantly reduced for minimally invasive approaches, whereas no differences were found for seroma, hernia recurrence, and hospital length of stay., Conclusions: Minimally invasive TAPP and TEP repair seem associated with significantly reduced early postoperative pain, return to work/activities, chronic pain, hematoma, and wound infection compared to the Lichtenstein tension-free repair. Hernia recurrence, seroma, and hospital length of stay seem similar across treatments., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) device has become a common option for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Knowledge of MSA-related complications, indications for removal, and techniques are puzzled. With this study, we aimed to evaluate indications, techniques for removal, surgical approach, and outcomes with MSA removal., Methods: This is an observational singe-center study. Patients were followed up regularly with endoscopy, pH monitoring, and assessed for specific gastroesophageal reflux disease health-related quality of life (GERD-HRQL) and generic short-form 36 (SF-36) quality of life., Results: Five patients underwent MSA explant. Four patients were males and the median age was 47 years (range 44-55). Heartburn, epigastric/chest pain, and dysphagia were commonly reported. The median implant duration was 46 months (range 31-72). A laparoscopic approach was adopted in all patients. Intraoperative findings included normal anatomy (40%), herniation in the mediastinum (40%), and erosion (20%). The most common anti-reflux procedures were Dor (n = 2), Toupet (n = 2), and anterior partial fundoplication (n = 1). The median operative time was 145 min (range 60-185), and the median hospital length of stay was 4 days (range 3-6). The median postoperative follow-up was 41 months (range 12-51). At the last follow-up, 80% of patients were off PPI; the GERD-HRQL and SF-36 questionnaire were improved with DeMeester score and esophageal acid exposure normalization., Conclusion: The MSA device can be safely explanted through a single-stage laparoscopic procedure. Tailoring a fundoplication, according to preoperative patient symptoms and intraoperative findings, seems feasible and safe with a promising trend toward improved symptoms and quality of life., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To examine the updated evidence on safety, effectiveness, and outcomes of the totally extraperitoneal (TEP) versus the laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair and to explore the timely tendency variations favoring one treatment over another., Methods: Systematic review and trial sequential analysis (TSA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were consulted. Risk Ratio (RR), weighted mean difference (WMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as pooled effect size measures., Results: Fifteen RCTs were included (1359 patients). Of these, 702 (51.6%) underwent TAPP and 657 (48.4%) TEP repair. The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 92 years and 87.9% were males. The estimated pooled RR for hernia recurrence (RR = 0.83; 95% CI 0.35-1.96) and chronic pain (RR = 1.51; 95% CI 0.54-4.22) were similar for TEP vs. TAPP. The TSA shows a cumulative z-curve without crossing the monitoring boundaries line (Z = 1.96), thus supporting true negative results while the information size was calculated as adequate for both outcomes. No significant differences were found in term of early postoperative pain, operative time, wound-related complications, hospital length of stay, return to work/daily activities, and costs., Conclusions: TEP and TAPP repair seems comparable in terms of postoperative hernia recurrence and chronic pain. The cumulative evidence and information size are sufficient to provide a conclusive evidence on recurrence and chronic pain. Similar trials or meta-analyses seem unlikely to show diverse results and should be discouraged., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The anatomy of the esophageal hiatus is altered during esophagogastric surgery with an increased risk of postoperative hiatus hernia (HH). The purpose of this article was to examine the current evidence on the surgical management and outcomes associated with HH after esophagogastric surgery for cancer., Materials and Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Web of Science, PubMed, and EMBASE data sets were consulted., Results: Twenty-seven studies were included for a total of 404 patients requiring surgical treatment for HH after esophagogastric surgery. The age of the patients ranged from 35 to 85 years, and the majority were males (82.3%). Abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, and dyspnea were the commonly reported symptoms. An emergency repair was required in 51.5%, while a minimally invasive repair was performed in 48.5%. Simple suture cruroplasty and mesh reinforced repair were performed in 65% and 35% of patients, respectively. The duration between the index procedure and HH repair ranged from 3 to 144 months, with the majority (67%) occurring within 24 months. The estimated pooled prevalence rates of pulmonary complications, anastomotic leak, overall morbidity, and mortality were 14.1% (95% CI = 8.0-22.0%), 1.4% (95% CI = 0.8-2.2%), 35% (95% CI = 20.0-54.0%), and 5.0% (95% CI = 3.0-8.0%), respectively. The postoperative follow-up ranged from 1 to 110 months (mean = 24) and the pooled prevalence of HH recurrence was 16% (95% CI = 13.0-21.6%)., Conclusions: Current evidence reporting data for HH after esophagogastric surgery is narrow. The overall postoperative pulmonary complications, overall morbidity, and mortality are 14%, 35%, and 5%, respectively. Additional studies are required to define indications and treatment algorithm and evaluate the best technique for crural repair at the index operation in an attempt to minimize the risk of HH., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Persistent staple-line leak is a challenging complication after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). The over-the-scope clip (OTSC) (Ovesco®, Tübingen, Germany) and the Mega stent (Taewoong medical, Seoul, South Korea) recently gained encouraging results in the management of early leaks. This is a retrospective series (n = 8) focused on the management of persistent leaks after LSG with the simultaneous OTSC/Mega stent strategy. Seven patients underwent primary LSG. The median time from LSG to OTSC/Mega stent treatment was 48.5 days (range 28-63), and the median defect size was 9.5 mm (range 7-12). The median time to clear liquid diet, hospital length of stay, and overall treatment time were 4 days (range 2-5), 31 days (range 26-57), and 47 days (range 34-107), respectively. Overall success rate was 87.5%. Postoperative morbidity was 25%. The mean follow-up time was 18 months (range 3-24) with no fistula recurrence.

Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy (LHM) with partial fundoplication has become the treatment of choice for esophageal achalasia. However, the choice of the partial fundoplication is debated. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes for Dor and Toupet fundoplication after LHM. A systematic search of randomized controlled trials comparing Dor and Toupet fundoplication was performed using PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Three studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 174 patients were included in the analysis. The postoperative abnormal acid reflux [pooled Risk Ratio 0.98 (95% HPD 0.54-1.80)] and dysphagia [pooled Risk Ratio 1.03 (95% HPD 0.51-2.05)] were similar comparing Dor and Toupet fundoplication. The % total time pH ≤ 4 [estimated pooled mean difference -0.08 (95% HPD -1.04-0.90)] and DeMeester score [estimated pooled mean difference 0.51 (95% HPD -0.90-1.94)] were comparable. Additionally, the operative time [estimated pooled mean difference 0.02 (95% HPD -0.53-0.52)] and iatrogenic esophageal perforation [pooled Risk Ratio 1.05 (95% HPD 0.52-2.10)] were similar in the two groups. Dor and Toupet fundoplication after laparoscopic Heller myotomy seem comparable in term of postoperative abnormal acid exposure and dysphagia. The choice of the partial fundoplication should be left to surgeon experience and tailored on each patient., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.)

Background: Current guidelines state that the Shouldice technique has lower recurrence rates than other suture repairs and therefore is strongly recommended in non-mesh inguinal hernia repair. Recently a new tissue repair technique has been proposed by Desarda and studied in trials against Lichtenstein technique., Methods: The present study was performed according to the PRISMA Statement for Network Meta-analysis and the AMSTAR 2 checklist. The method of network meta-analysis was chosen to evaluate randomized controlled trial published on tissue repair and comparing Lichtenstein respectively with Desarda and Shouldice techniques. The following parameters: operative time, recurrence, complications (general, intraoperative, Surgical Surgical Site Occurrences), VAS score on postoperative day 1, numbness, chronic pain and return to daily activities., Results: Fourteen RCTs, involving 2791 patients, fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were selected for final analysis. The anchored indirect treatment comparison showed that Desarda's technique requires a significantly shorter operative time (MD: -12.9 min; 95% CI: -20.6 to -5.2) and has a quicker recovery (MD: -6.6 days; 95% CI: -11.7 to -1.4). Outcomes concerning intraoperative complications, early postoperative pain, seroma/hematoma, hydrocele and infection rates, recurrence, numbness and chronic pain were similar among the two techniques., Conclusions: Desarda's hernia repair can be a valuable alternative to Shouldice technique for the treatment of primary inguinal hernia repair if a non-mesh technique is chosen, because of its reproducibility and quicker postoperative recovery. We recommend performing well designed prospective studies comparing both techniques directly., (Copyright © 2019 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The terms "Hernia Center" (HC) and Hernia Surgeon" (HS) have gained more and more popularity in recent years. Nevertheless, there is lack of protocols and methods for certification of their activities and results. The Italian Society of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery proposes a method for different levels of certification., Methods: The national board created a commission, with the task to define principles and structure of an accreditation program. The discussion of each topic was preceded by a Systematic Review, according to PRISMA Guidelines and Methodology. In case of lack or inadequate data from literature, the parameter was fixed trough a Commission discussion., Results: The Commission defined a certification process including: "FLC - First level Certification": restricted to single surgeon, it is given under request and proof of a formal completion of the learning curve process for the basic procedures and an adequate year volume of operations. "Second level certification": Referral Center for Abdominal Wall Surgery. It is a public or private structure run by at least two already certified and confirmed FLC surgeons. "Third level certification": High Specialization Center for Abdominal Wall Surgery. It is a public or private structure, already confirmed as Referral Centers, run by at least three surgeons (two certified and confirmed with FLC and one research fellow in abdominal wall surgery). Both levels of certification have to meet the Surgical Requirements and facilities criteria fixed by the Commission., Conclusion: The creation of different types of Hernia Centers is directed to create two different entities offering the same surgical quality with separate mission: the Referral Center being more dedicated to clinical and surgical activity and High Specialization Centers being more directed to scientific tasks., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Importance: Sustainable, capacity-building educational collaborations are essential to address the global burden of surgical disease., Objective: To assess an international, competency-based training paradigm for hernia surgery in underserved countries., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prospective, observational study performed from November 1, 2013, through October 31, 2015, at 16 hospitals in Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic, surgeons completed initial training programs in hernia repair, underwent interval proficiency assessments, and were appointed regional trainers. Competency-based evaluations of technical proficiency were performed using the Operative Performance Rating Scale (OPRS). Maintenance of proficiency was evaluated by video assessments 6 months after training. Certified trainees received incentives to document independent surgical outcomes after training., Main Outcomes and Measures: An OPRS score of 3.0 (scale of 1 [poor] to 5 [excellent]) indicated proficiency. Secondary outcomes included initial vs final scores by country, scores among surgeons trained by the regional trainers (second-order trainees), interval scores 6 months after training, and postoperative complications., Results: A total of 20 surgeon trainers, 81 local surgeons, and 364 patients (343 adult, 21 pediatric) participated in the study (mean [SD] age, 47.5 [16.3] years; age range, 16-83 years). All 81 surgeons successfully completed the program, and all 364 patients received successful operations. Mean (SD) OPRS scores improved from 4.06 (0.87) before the initial training program to 4.52 (0.57) after training (P < .001). No significant variation was found by country in final scores. On trainee certification, 20 became regional trainers. The mean (SD) OPRS score among 53 second-order trainees was 4.34 (0.68). After 6-month intervals, the mean (SD) OPRS score among participating surgeons was 4.34 (0.55). The overall operative complication rate during training series was 1.1%., Conclusions and Relevance: Competency-based training helps address the global burden of surgical disease. The OPRS establishes an international standard of technical assessment. Additional studies of long-term surgeon trainer proficiency, community-specific quality initiatives, and expansion to other operations are warranted.

Breast cancer is the commonest malignancy in women worldwide. The reduced aggressiveness of breast cancer surgery has made it possible treat patients in the day surgery setting. The European Institute of Oncology, Milan, opened its new Day Center in May 2010. From May 2010 to December 2014, 17,087 patients with breast conditions were treated by the Institute's Division of Senology, 4132 (24.2%) of these in the day surgery setting, including malignant and benign conditions; 204 (4.9%) were not discharged on the day of surgery, being converted to inpatients; five (0.1%) patients returned to hospital for persistent hematoma. Our experience of performing breast cancer surgery in the day surgery setting is in line that of the literature. It is safe, but requires a well-organized unit and multidisciplinary medical team to function smoothly, with much attention paid to patient comfort and education, so as to ensure maximum patient acceptance and satisfaction., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Since 1989, the authors have been using the Trabucco tension-free and sutureless technique for the repair of primary groin hernia with a pre-shaped mesh in more than 8,000 surgical procedures for complex and "simple" abdominal and inguinal hernias; over 4,000 cases have been considered in this study. The great majority of these procedures were performed under local anaesthesia and with a complete and careful nerve sparing. Compared to the Lichtenstein's technique, which is currently the golden standard treatment worldwide, there are no significant differences in the observed recurrence rate (below 2%). For the Law of Pascal, the pre-shaped prosthesis developed by Trabucco remains stretched uniformly in the inguinal canal, without the need to be secured with sutures and without forming dead space, which is a cause of infections, pain, and recurrence. The main advantage of a tension-free and sutureless repair is given by the relevant reduction in postoperative chronic neuralgia, which is not an uncommon complication and, depending on its intensity, can also potentially jeopardize a patient's work and social activities. The identification and the sparing of the three nerves of the inguinal region is of crucial importance to reduce the rate of neuralgia in the short and long term. Furthermore, the use of a local anaesthesia imposes the surgeon to properly recognize those nerves and to respect them during the repair. It goes without saying that the complete exposition of the right anatomy of inguinal canal is mandatory. The intentional section of one or more nerves, when it is not technically possible to achieve a satisfactory nerve sparing, or special tricks to create proper fenestrations (small window) on the edge of the prosthesis to prevent the scar tissue to involve the spared nerves, ensures a further reduction of the rate of neuralgia and excellent patient outcomes.

The "sportsman's hernia" commonly presents as a painful groin in those sports that involve kicking and twisting movements while running, particularly in rugby, football, soccer, and ice hockey players. Moreover, sportsman's hernia can be encountered even in normally physically active people. The pain experienced is recognized at the common point of origin of the rectus abdominis muscle and the adductor longus tendon on the pubic bone and the insertion of the inguinal ligament on the pubic bone. It is accepted that this chronic pain caused by abdominal wall weakness or injury occurs without a palpable hernia. We proposed the new name "pubic inguinal pain syndrome." In the period between January 2006 and November 2013 all patients afferent in our ambulatory clinic for chronic groin pain without a clinically evident hernia were assessed with medical history, physical examination, dynamic ultrasound, and pelvic and lumbar MRI. All patients were proposed for a conservative treatment and then, if it was not effective, for a surgical treatment. Our etiopathogenetic theory is based on three factors: (1) the compression of the three nerves of the inguinal region, (2) the imbalance in strength of adductor and abdominal wall muscles caused by the hypertrophy and stiffness of the insertion of rectus muscle and adductor longus muscle, and (3) the partial weakness of the posterior wall. Our surgical procedure includes the release of all three nerves of the region, the correction of the imbalance in strength with the partial tenotomy of the rectus and adductor longus muscles, and the repair of the partial weakness of the posterior wall with a lightweight mesh. This treatment reported excellent results with complete relief of symptoms after resumption of physical activity in all cases.

Introduction: The new objective in primary hernia surgery should be the reduction of disabling chronic pain. This article will discuss the safety, efficacy, and reduction of pain of a sutureless glue mesh procedure for primary uncomplicated inguinal hernia repair., Methods: We began performing sutureless glue mesh repairs in 2004 for primary uncomplicated inguinal hernias with good results. After reduction of the hernia sac, polypropylene medium-weight preshaped flat mesh is fixed to the posterior inguinal wall with 0.5 mL of fibrin glue on the pubic tubercle; another 1.5 mL is sprayed on the entire mesh surface. The cord is positioned in subcutaneous space. The TI.ME.LI (Tissucol/Tisseel for MEsh fixation in LIchtenstein hernia repair) trial was planned and conducted based on this experience., Results: In two years, we treated more than 600 primary inguinal hernias with fibrin glue mesh fixation repair. At follow-up (2 to 96 months after surgery), no patients presented with severe pain, 2.7% of patients complained of moderate pain., Conclusion: Fibrin sealant for mesh fixation in open repair is well tolerated and it should be considered as a first-line option for mesh fixation in open inguinal hernia repair.

A review of the history of inguinal hernia repair from the far surgical approach performed by Celso, trought the physiological reconstruction of inguinal canal by Bassini and the introduction of the concept of tensionfree repair, to the newest find in this specialist surgery. Nowadays in addition to the choice of approach (open vs laparoscopic, anterior vs preperitoneal), the plane where placing the mesh (in front of the trasversalis fascia vs preperitoneal space), and the fixation device (suture vs sutureless vs glue), surgeons can select among a wide range of prosthesis. Choosing the proper biomaterial can determine the success of an operation and prevent biomaterial-related complications. Indepth knowledge and understanding of the physical properties of the prosthesis, porosity, and pore size in particular are required. Modern advances in hernia repair are credited with reduced recurrence rate, so surgeons' attention is shifted from preventing recurrence to the new topic of chronic pain after surgery.

In recent years, general surgeons who perform inguinal hernia repair have paid attention to successful reduction in the recurrence rate. The Lichtenstein technique is widely used because it is easy to learn and is associated with a low rate of complication and recurrences. Today, the new objective in primary hernia surgery should be to reduce complications such as chronic pain. Chronic pain after hernia repair can be disabling, with considerable impact on quality of life and there is evidence to suggest increased use of health services by patients who have chronic pain. We have proposed an international randomized controlled trial with seven referenced European centers: The TI.ME.LI. trial. The aim of this study is to evaluate pain and further disabling complications in patients undergoing Lichtenstein technique for primary inguinal hernia repair by fixing the mesh with fibrin sealant versus sutures (control group).

The authors reviewed the records of 2,468 operations of groin hernia in 2,350 patients, including 277 recurrent hernias updated to January 2005. The data obtained - evaluating technique, results and complications - were used to propose a simple anatomo-clinical classification into three types which could be used to plan the surgical strategy: Type R1: first recurrence 'high,' oblique external, reducible hernia with small (<2 cm) defect in non-obese patients, after pure tissue or mesh repairType R2: first recurrence 'low,' direct, reducible hernia with small (<2 cm) defect in non-obese patients, after pure tissue or mesh repairType R3: all the other recurrences - including femoral recurrences; recurrent groin hernia with big defect (inguinal eventration); multirecurrent hernias; nonreducible, linked with a controlateral primitive or recurrent hernia; and situations compromised from aggravating factors (for example obesity) or anyway not easily included in R1 or R2, after pure tissue or mesh repair.

In a highly advanced era from the point of view of instrumental diagnostic resolution it is, however, not always possible to obtain a precise preoperative diagnosis. Surgery is sometimes the only decisive solution. In April 2003, a 62-year-old male patient was referred to us for umbilical hernia, diastasis recti abdominis and left-sided inguinal hernia; he also complained of pain in the mesogastric-hypogastric region. This site presented with a hard, non-mobile, painful tumefaction at both superficial and deep palpation. The patient was submitted to various diagnostic examinations (pancolonoscopy, CT, X-ray of the digestive tract and angiography), but only surgery allowed us to establish the specific nature of the tumefaction. The operation consisted in the en-bloc removal of an abscess mass affecting intestinal loops, caecum and appendix and at the same time in the repair of the hernia components with the use of prosthesis in a potentially contaminated area. The tumefaction had originated following acute appendicitis episodes that had determined adherences between the appendix, caecum and ileal loops (histologically confirmed). There are situations that require surgery in order to be explicitly diagnosed and solved. Furthermore, although the use of prosthetic materials in the treatment of hernias in association with intestinal resection is an extreme case, it has also been reported in the international literature that nowadays there are no real contraindications to the implantation of a prosthesis in a potentially infected area.