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Objective: We aimed to evaluate the association of epidural analgesia (EA) with hospital length of stay (LOS), wound morbidity, postoperative complications, and patient-reported outcomes in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair (VHR)., Background: EA has been shown to reduce LOS in certain surgical populations. The LOS benefit in VHR is unclear., Methods: Patients having VHR performed in the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative (AHSQC) were separated into 2 comparable groups matched on several confounding factors using a propensity score algorithm: one group received postoperative EA, and the other did not. The groups were then evaluated for hospital LOS, 30-day wound morbidity, other complications, and 30-day patient-reported outcomes using pain and hernia-specific quality-of-life instruments., Results: A 1:1 match was achieved and the final analysis included 763 patients receiving EA and 763 not receiving EA. The EA group had an increased LOS (5.49 vs 4.90 days; P < 0.05). The rate of wound events was similar between the groups. There was an increased risk of having any postoperative complication associated with having EA (26% vs 21%; P < 0.05). Pain intensity-scaled scores were significantly higher (worse) in the EA group versus the non-EA group (47.6 vs 44.0; P = 0.04)., Conclusions: The LOS benefit of EA noted for other operations may not apply to patients undergoing VHR. Further study is necessary to determine the beneficial role of invasive pain management procedures in this group of patients with an extremely common disease state.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare length of stay (LOS) after robotic-assisted and open retromuscular ventral hernia repair (RVHR)., Background: RVHR has traditionally been performed by open techniques. Robotic-assisted surgery enables surgeons to perform minimally invasive RVHR, but with unknown benefit. Using real-world evidence, this study compared LOS after open (o-RVHR) and robotic-assisted (r-RVHR) approach., Methods: Multi-institutional data from patients undergoing elective RVHR in the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative between 2013 and 2016 were analyzed. Propensity score matching was used to compare median LOS between o-RVHR and r-RVHR groups. This work was supported by an unrestricted grant from Intuitive Surgical, and all clinical authors have declared direct or indirect relationships with Intuitive Surgical., Results: In all, 333 patients met inclusion criteria for a 2:1 match performed on 111 r-RVHR patients using propensity scores, with 222 o-RVHR patients having similar characteristics as the robotic-assisted group. Median LOS [interquartile range (IQR)] was significantly decreased for r-RVHR patients [2 days (IQR 2)] compared with o-RVHR patients [3 days (IQR 3), P < 0.001]. No differences in 30-day readmissions or surgical site infections were observed. Higher surgical site occurrences were noted with r-RVHR, consisting mostly of seromas not requiring intervention., Conclusions: Using real-world evidence, a robotic-assisted approach to RVHR offers the clinical benefit of reduced postoperative LOS. Ongoing monitoring of this technique should be employed through continuous quality improvement to determine the long-term effect on hernia recurrence, complications, patient satisfaction, and overall cost.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate biosynthetic absorbable mesh in single-staged contaminated (Centers for Disease Control class II and III) ventral hernia (CVH) repair over 24 months., Background: CVH has an increased risk of postoperative infection. CVH repair with synthetic or biologic meshes has reported chronic biomaterial infections and high hernia recurrence rates., Methods: Patients with a contaminated or clean-contaminated operative field and a hernia defect at least 9 cm had a biosynthetic mesh (open, sublay, retrorectus, or intraperitoneal) repair with fascial closure (n = 104). Endpoints included overall Kaplan-Meier estimates for hernia recurrence and postoperative wound infection rates at 24 months, and the EQ-5D and Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12). Analyses were conducted on the intent-to-treat population, and health outcome measures evaluated using paired t tests., Results: Patients had a mean age of 58 years, body mass index of 28 kg/m, 77% had contaminated wounds, and 84% completed 24-months follow-up. Concomitant procedures included fistula takedown (n = 24) or removal of infected previously placed mesh (n = 29). Hernia recurrence rate was 17% (n = 16). At the time of CVH repair, intraperitoneal placement of the biosynthetic mesh significantly increased the risk of recurrences (P ≤ 0.04). Surgical site infections (19/104) led to higher risk of recurrence (P < 0.01). Mean 24-month EQ-5D (index and visual analogue) and SF-12 physical component and mental scores improved from baseline (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: In this prospective longitudinal study, biosynthetic absorbable mesh showed efficacy in terms of long-term recurrence and quality of life for CVH repair patients and offers an alternative to biologic and permanent synthetic meshes in these complex situations., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Objective: This study evaluates the effect of resident physician work hour limits on surgical patient safety., Background: Resident work hour limits have been enforced in New York State since 1998 and nationwide from 2003. A primary assumption of these limits is that these changes will improve patient safety. We examined effects of this policy in New York on standardized surgical Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs)., Methods: An interrupted time series analysis was performed using 1995 to 2001 Nationwide Inpatient Sample data. The intervention studied was resident work hour limit enforcement in New York teaching hospitals. PSIs included rates of accidental puncture or laceration (APL), postoperative pulmonary embolus or deep venous thrombosis (PEDVT), foreign body left during procedure (FB), iatrogenic pneumothorax (PTX), and postoperative wound dehiscence (WD). PSI trends were compared pre- versus postintervention in New York teaching hospitals and in 2 control groups: New York nonteaching hospitals and California teaching hospitals., Results: A mean of 2.6 million New York discharges per year were analyzed with cumulative events of 33,756 (APL), 36,970 (PEDVT), 1,447 (FB), 10,727 (PTX), and 2,520 (WD). Increased rates over time (expressed per 1000 discharges each quarter) were observed in both APL (0.15, 95% confidence interval, 0.09-0.20, P<0.05) and PEDVT (0.43, 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.83, P<0.05) after policy enforcement in New York teaching hospitals. No changes were observed in either control group for these events or New York teaching hospital rates of FB, PTX, or WD., Conclusions: Resident work hour limits in New York teaching hospitals were not associated with improvements in surgical patient safety measures, with worsening trends observed in APL and PEDVT corresponding with enforcement.