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Emergency repair of complicated abdominal wall hernias: WSES guidelines

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Abstract

Purpose

In July 2013, the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) held the first Consensus Conference on emergency repair of abdominal wall hernias in adult patients with the intention of producing evidence-based guidelines to assist surgeons in the management of complicated abdominal wall hernias. Guidelines were updated in 2017 in keeping with varying clinical practice: benefits resulting from the increased use of biological prosthesis in the emergency setting were highlighted, as previously published in the World Journal of Emergency Surgery. This executive summary is intended to consolidate knowledge on the emergency management of complicated hernias by providing the broad readership with a practical and concise version of the original guidelines.

Methods

This executive manuscript summarizes the WSES guidelines reporting on the emergency management of complicated abdominal wall hernias; statements are highlighted focusing the readers’ attention on the main concepts presented in the original guidelines.

Conclusions

Emergency repair of complicated abdominal hernias remains one of the most common and challenging surgical emergencies worldwide. WSES aims to provide an essential version of the evidence-based guidelines focusing on the timing of intervention, laparoscopic approach, surgical repair following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wound classification, antimicrobial prophylaxis and anesthesia in the emergency setting.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Operative Unit of General Surgery, Azienda USL IRCCS Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy

    B. De Simone & V. Annessi

  2. General Surgery Department, Lugano Hospital, Lugano, Switzerland

    A. Birindelli

  3. Department of Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy

    L. Ansaloni & F. Coccolini

  4. General Surgery Department, Macerata Hospital, Macerata, Italy

    M. Sartelli

  5. Department of Surgery, University Addenbrooke Hospital, Cambridge, UK

    S. Di Saverio

  6. Department of General and Emergency Surgery, John Hunter Hospital, New Castle, Australia

    F. Amico

  7. Emergency and Trauma Surgery Department, Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy

    F. Catena

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  1. B. De Simone
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  2. A. Birindelli
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  3. L. Ansaloni
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  4. M. Sartelli
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  5. F. Coccolini
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  8. F. Amico
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  9. F. Catena
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Contributions

FC conceived the study; AB wrote the first manuscript; BDS revised and summarized the original manuscript; all the authors approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to B. De Simone.

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De Simone, B., Birindelli, A., Ansaloni, L. et al. Emergency repair of complicated abdominal wall hernias: WSES guidelines. Hernia 24, 359–368 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-019-02021-8

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