Laparoscopic repair of potentially contaminated abdominal ventral hernias using a xenograft: a case series.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the preliminary experience of definitive single stage laparoscopic reconstruction of the abdominal wall utilizing a tissue matrix in a potentially contaminated surgical field.

Method: Retrospective review of potentially contaminated ventral hernias repaired with a minimally invasive technique utilizing biological mesh. Reconstruction required the laparoscopic restoration of the midline with or without a minimally invasive component separation technique and reinforcement with a xenograft (Strattice™ Reconstructive Tissue Matrix, LifeCell, Branchburg, NJ).

Current concepts and future directions in the battle against obesity.

Obesity is a significant unsolved public health problem. Future treatments of obesity will involve application of neuroendocrine concepts that are reviewed in this paper.