Cancer Survivorship: Defining the Incidence of Incisional Hernia After Resection for Intra-Abdominal Malignancy.

Background: Cancer survivorship focuses largely on improving quality of life. We aimed to determine the rate of ventral incisional hernia (VIH) formation after cancer resection, with implications for survivorship.

Methods: Patients without prior VIH who underwent abdominal malignancy resections at a tertiary center were followed up to 2 years.

Patient reported outcomes after incisional hernia repair-establishing the ventral hernia recurrence inventory.

Background: Assessing incisional hernia recurrence typically requires a clinical encounter. We sought to determine if patient-reported outcomes (PROs) could detect long-term recurrence.

Methods: Adult patients 1 to 5 years after incisional hernia repair were prospectively asked about recurrence, bulge, and pain at the original repair site.

Previous Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection Independent of Body Site Increases Odds of Surgical Site Infection after Ventral Hernia Repair.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections can be difficult to manage in ventral hernia repair (VHR). We aimed to determine whether a history of preoperative MRSA infection, regardless of site, confers increased odds of 30-day surgical site infection (SSI) after VHR.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing VHR with class I to III wounds between 2005 and 2012 was performed using Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Perioperative Data Warehouse.

Incisional Hernia Classification Predicts Wound Complications Two Years after Repair.

Classification of ventral hernias (VHs) into categories that impact surgical outcome is not well defined. The European Hernia Society (EHS) classification divides ventral incisional hernias by midline or lateral location. This study aimed to determine whether EHS classification is associated with wound complications after VH repair, indicated by surgical site occurrences (SSOs).

FLS tasks can be used as an ergonomic discriminator between laparoscopic and robotic surgery.

Introduction: Robotic surgery may result in ergonomic benefits to surgeons. In this pilot study, we utilize surface electromyography (sEMG) to describe a method for identifying ergonomic differences between laparoscopic and robotic platforms using validated Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) tasks. We hypothesize that FLS task performance on laparoscopic and robotic surgical platforms will produce significant differences in mean muscle activation, as quantified by sEMG.

Remodeling characteristics and collagen distribution in synthetic mesh materials explanted from human subjects after abdominal wall reconstruction: an analysis of remodeling characteristics by patient risk factors and surgical site classifications.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between patient characteristics or surgical site classifications and the histologic remodeling scores of synthetic meshes biopsied from their abdominal wall repair sites in the first attempt to generate a multivariable risk prediction model of non-constructive remodeling.

Methods: Biopsies of the synthetic meshes were obtained from the abdominal wall repair sites of 51 patients during a subsequent abdominal re-exploration. Biopsies were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and evaluated according to a semi-quantitative scoring system for remodeling characteristics (cell infiltration, cell types, extracellular matrix deposition, inflammation, fibrous encapsulation, and neovascularization) and a mean composite score (CR).

Remodeling characteristics and collagen distribution in biological scaffold materials explanted from human subjects after abdominal soft tissue reconstruction: an analysis of scaffold remodeling characteristics by patient risk factors and surgical site classifications.

Objective: The study purpose was to evaluate the associations between patient characteristics or surgical site classifications and the histologic remodeling scores of biologic meshes biopsied from abdominal soft tissue repair sites in the first attempt to generate a multivariable risk-prediction model of nonconstructive remodeling.

Background: Host characteristics and surgical site assessments may predict remodeling degree for biologic meshes used to reinforce abdominal tissue repair sites.

Methods: Biologic meshes were biopsied from the abdominal tissue repair sites of n = 40 patients during an abdominal reexploration, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and evaluated according to a semi-quantitative scoring system for remodeling characteristics (cell types, cell infiltration, extracellular matrix deposition, scaffold degradation, fibrous encapsulation, and neovascularization) and a mean composite score.

A material cost-minimization analysis for hernia repairs and minor procedures during a surgical mission in the Dominican Republic.

Introduction: Expenditures on material supplies and medications constitute the greatest per capita costs for surgical missions. We hypothesized that supply acquisition at non-profit organization (NPO) costs would lead to significant cost-savings compared with supply acquisition at US academic institution costs from the provider perspective for hernia repairs and minor procedures during a surgical mission in the Dominican Republic.

Methods: Items acquired for a surgical mission were uniquely QR-coded for accurate consumption accounting.