The Impact of the Creation of an Abdominal Wall Unit

Background Abdominal wall units in surgery departments are becoming more and more necessary due to the increasing complexity of hernias and the ongoing development of new surgical techniques and resources. This study aims to understand the impact of an abdominal wall unit in a medium-sized hospital's surgery department. Method A retrospective study was conducted involving all patients who underwent elective hernia repair between October 2021 and March 2023 and the outcomes were compared before and after the creation of the abdominal wall unit (July 2022). Results 700 patients were included with median age of 59 and median BMI of 27.5 kg/m2. Of these, 388 underwent surgery from July 2022. Was identified a reduction in complications after unit creation, from 7.7% to 7.2% (p = 0.811) and a decrease in recurrence from 3.8% to 2.1% (p = 0.159), diagnosed 8 months after surgery, on average. With the creation of the unit, an increase in the usage of minimally invasive techniques was observed, from 10.6% to 13.9% (p = 0.271). For example, the use of TAPP technique for inguinal and femoral hernias increased from 9% to 14,5%. New techniques and adjuvant procedures have also been introduced, such as LIRA technique, Fasciotens abdominal device and botulinum toxin A application. Conclusion Our study supports the existing literature, confirming the positive impact of an organized abdominal wall unit. We highlight the reduction in post-operative complications and recurrence after the unit creation and the introduction of new and innovative surgical techniques in the treatment of abdominal wall hernias.