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We aim to observe and dissect the essential anatomical landmarks in totally extraperitoneal (TEP) procedures. Forty-six TEP procedures in 30 patients were prospectively performed in our department. During the dissection of the preperitoneal space, the following distances between landmarks were measured. D1: the distance from pubic symphysis to the arcuate line in the midline; D2: the distance from the inferior epigastric artery to the lateral border of the arcuate line (before sharp incision was performed); D3: as in D2 (but after sharp incision was performed); D4: the distance from the inferior epigastric artery to the crossing site of vas deferens and obliterated umbilical artery. Furthermore, the morphology of the posterior rectus sheath was documented. The corresponding distance between the anatomical landmarks varied greatly in each individual. D1: 8 ± 1.6 cm (range 4–10 cm). D2: 4.9 ± 0.8 cm (3.5–7 cm). D3: 6.8 ± 0.9 cm (5–9 cm). D4: 6.1 ± 1 cm (4.8–8.5 cm). Complete rectus sheath was found in 30.4 per cent (14/46) of the hernias. Anatomical variations were common in preperitoneal space. The crossing site of vas deferens and obliterated umbilical artery can serve as a landmark for dissection. Complete rectus was present in one-third of hernias, which necessitates a sharp incision for entering the correct lateral preperitoneal space.

Superhydrophobic coatings have wide applications in many fields. However, superhydrophobic and smart coatings with multifunctionality and their applications in flexible sensing electronics are seldom reported. In this work, durable, superhydrophobic, and anticorrosive coatings with excellent Joule heating and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance are prepared on the basis of Ag precursor reduction and synchronous nonsolvent induced phase separation. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coated with the copolymer (polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-block-polystyrene: SEBS) are uniformly distributed on the target substrate, forming mechanically durable conductive network. SEBS could not only endow the surface coating with superhydrophobicity but also improve the interaction among individual Ag nanoparticles and the interfacial adhesion between AgNPs and the substrate. The multifunctional coating possesses excellent anticorrosive, self-cleaning, and deicing properties. The high conductivity endows the coatings with excellent Joule heating and EMI shielding performance. The multifunctional coating can be applied to a variety of different substrates with outstanding surface stability and reliability. The conductivity for the smart coating can reach as high as 107 S/cm with the EMI shielding effectiveness up to 37.8 dB. At a low applied voltage of 1 V, the conductive fabric can be heated up to over 80 °C in 60 s and displays good recyclability during dozens of heating and cooling cycles. The Joule heating-induced temperature increase could be used for efficient surface deicing. When used for the flexible and wearable strain sensors, the multifunctional coating has a very low strain detection limit of 0.5% and large sensitivity (with the gauge factor as high as 1075) and excellent repeatability. In addition, it can be used for precisely monitoring different body motions, including both large and subtle joint movement.