Abstract
Purpose
The use of hernia mesh is a common practice in abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) operations. The high cost of biologic mesh has raised questions about the value of its use in AWR. Resorbable synthetic mesh may have the potential benefits of biologic mesh, minimizing the need for removal when infected, at a lower cost.
Methods
A hernia program has implemented the principles of clinical quality improvement (CQI) to improve patient outcomes. One process improvement attempt was implemented using a newly available resorbable synthetic scaffold. Long-term follow-up was obtained as a part of the CQI process.
Results
A total of 91 patients undergoing AWR were included between 8/11 and 9/15 (49 months). There were 58 female (64%) and 33 male (36%) patients. The average age was 57.2 years (28–80). The average BMI was 34.0 (17.6–53.4). There were 52 patients (57%) with recurrent hernias. Mean hernia defect size was 306.6 cm2 (24–720) and mean mesh size was 471.7 cm2 (112–600). Outcomes included a mean length of stay of 7.5 days (0–49), a recurrence rate of 12% (11/91) and a wound complication rate of 27% (25/91). The recurrence rate decreased to 4.5% (3/66) after several improvements, including adopting a transversus abdominus release (TAR) approach, were implemented. There were no mesh-related complications and no mesh removal (partial or total) was required. The mean follow-up length was 42.4 months (0–102).
Conclusion
In this group of patients, an attempt at process improvement was implemented using a resorbable synthetic scaffold for AWR. With no mesh-related complications and no mesh removals required, there was an improvement in value due to the decrease in mesh cost and improved outcomes over time. Long-term follow-up demonstrated the durability of the repair.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
A de-identified dataset containing the data used in this CQI project is available on request.
References
Poulose BK, Shelton J, Phillips S et al (2012) Epidemiology and cost of ventral hernia repair: making the case for hernia research. Hernia 16(2):179–183
Holihan JL, Alawadi Z, Martindate RG et al (2015) Adverse events after ventral hernia repair: the visciouc cycle of complications. JACS 221(2):478–485
Hjort H, Mathisen T, Alves A et al (2012) Three year results from a preclinical implementation study of a long-term resorbable surgcial mesh with time-dependent mechanical characteristics. Hernia 16:191–197
Dorrance KA, Phillips AA (2018) Toward a national conversation on health: the transformative power of deregulated markets and market-driven innovation. Milit Med 183(Supp):239–243
Johnson PT, Alvin MD, Ziegelstein RC (2018) Transitioning to a high-value health care model: academic accountability. Acad Med 93(6):850–855
Bittner R, Bingener-Casey J, Dietz U et al (2015) Guidelines for laparoscopic treatment of ventral and incisional abdominal wall hernias (International Endohernia Society (IEHS)-part 1). Surg Endosc 28:2–29
Kaplan RS, Porter ME (2011) The big idea: how to solve the cost crisis in health care. Harvard Business Review Web site. https://hbr.org/2011/09/how-to-solve-the-cost-crisis-in-health-care. Accessed 20 Jan 2015
Porter ME, Lee TH (2013) The strategy that will fix health care. Harvard Business Publishing. Harvard Business Review Web site. https://hbr.org/2013/10/the-strategy-that-will-fix-health-care/. Accessed 20 Jan 2015
Zimmerman B, Lindberg C, Plsek P (1998) Edgeware: insights from complexity science for health care leaders. VHA Inc, Texas
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Quality Improvement Activities FAQs. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/policy/faq/quality-improvement-activities/. Accessed 20 Jan 2015
Itani KMF, Rosen M, Vargo D et al (2012) Prospective study of single-stage repair of contaminated hernias using a biologic porcine tissue matrix: the RICH study. Surgery 152(3):498–505
Roth JS, Anthone GJ, Selzer DJ et al (2018) Prospective evaluation of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate mesh in CDC class 1/high-risk ventral and incisional hernia repair: 18 month follow-up. Surg Endosc 32(4):1929–1936
Rosen MJ, BauerJJ HM et al (2017) Multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study of the recurrence, surgical site infection, and quality of life after contaminated ventral hernia repair using biosynthetic absorbable mesh: the COBRA study. Ann Surg 265(1):205–211
Bittner JG, El-Hayek K, Strong AT et al (2018) First human use of hybrid synthetic/biologic mesh in ventral hernia repair: a multicenter trial. Surg Endosc 32:1123–1130
Roth JS, Zachem A, Plymale MA, Davenport DL (2017) Complex ventral hernia repair with acellular dermal matrices: clinical and quality of life outcomes. Am Surg 83(2):141–147
Stephan B, Ramshaw B, Forman B (2015) Value-based clinical quality improvement (CQI) for patients undergoing abdominal wall reconstruction. Surg Technol Int 26:135–142
Ramshaw B, Dean J, Forman B et al (2016) Can abdominal wall reconstruction be safely performed without drains? Am Surg 82(8):707–712
Ramshaw B, Forman B, Moore K et al (2017) Real-world clinical quality improvement for complex abdominal wall reconstruction. Surg Technol Int 13(30):155–164
Plymale MA, Devenport DL, Walsh-Blackmore S et al (2019) Costs and complications associated with infected mesh for ventral hernia repair. Surg Infect Larchmt. https://doi.org/10.1089/sur.2019.183(Epub ahead of print)
Funding
Novus Scientific provided funding to obtain long-term follow-up as part of the CQI process.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
RL, MP and EH have no conflict of interest to disclose. BF and BAP are employees of CQInsights which is a healthcare data analytics company that provided data management and analytics for this CQI project. BR provides consulting services and receives consulting fees from WL Gore, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Pacira Pharmaceutical, Anchora, Theator, Novus Scientific, Verb Surgical, Atrium and ConMed. He also has ownership stock in CQInsights.
Ethical approval
This data was collected under the approval of our Instutional Review Board. All collected data was done so as an integrated and inherent part of the standard patient care process at our institution, and given that CQI was implemented as part of the actual patient care process, this initiative was exempt from Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules.
Informed consent
None.
Human and animal rights
No animals were used in this investigation.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lewis, R., Forman, B., Preston, M. et al. The use of a novel synthetic resorbable scaffold (TIGR Matrix®) in a clinical quality improvement (CQI) effort for abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). Hernia 26, 437–445 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-020-02221-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-020-02221-7