Is there a role for hernia subspecialists? Or is this a step too far?
Specialization influences the way that we deliver surgical care and has a direct impact on surgeons, healthcare systems and patients. Abdominal wall hernia repairs are among the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide, and over 20 million prosthetic meshes are inserted annually. Worldwide outcomes from groin hernia repair, as reflected by 5-year recurrence rates, range from 1 to 4 %. However, the results for incisional hernia repair are at least ten times worse, with worldwide recurrence rates of about 25 % and upwards. This editorial aims to debate the argument for and against hernia subspecialists and provide a framework for implementing specialist hernia services.
Department of Upper GI Surgery, North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4JB, UK. dsanders3@nhs.net.
D L
DL
Sanders
Department of Surgery, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, PL6 8DH, UK.
A N
AN
Kingsnorth
University College Hospital, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
A C J
AC
Windsor
D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D013043:Specialties, Surgical; D013526:Surgical Mesh
Hernia; Incisional; Inguinal; Specialization