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Registration and Refreshments
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Welcome and Introduction
David Ross & Al Windsor
Speakers
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Principles of Hernia Repair: Suturing In AWR Revisited
Chairs: Jeff Janis & Rhys Thomas
- Closure of the Abdominal wall, evidence and practice | Rene Fortelny (12 mins)
- Suture selection and the impact on Incisional hernia repair | Mads Marckmann (12 mins)
- Application of mesh suture in hernia repair | Greg Dumanian (12 mins)
- Discussion (10 mins)
Speakers
Physician / Clinical Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
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Industry Symposium - The Art of Teaching Rives–Stoppa : Critical Steps & Common Pitfalls Passing on Techniques to the next
Yohan Renard
Sponsor
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Strategies to minimise risk and failure of ventral hernia repair
Chairs: Stella Smith & David Sanders
- How does an AWR MDT impact on outcome | Rhys Thomas (10 mins)
- Pre-optimisation of the ventral hernia patient | Marja Boermeester (12 mins)
- Update on BTA in AWR | Anita Jacombs (10 mins)
- Traction closure devices in AWR | Sebastian Schaaf (12 mins)
- Evaluating the role of GLP-1 in AWR | David Ross (10 mins)
- Discussion 15 mins
Speakers
Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon
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Morning Coffee and Trade Exhibition
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How do I select an operative procedure?
Chair: Greg Dumanian and Tina Gaarder
- Open repair is still the keystone of AWR| Todd Heniford (10 mins)
- Applying robotics to treat the midline hernia– strengths and limitations| Fredrick Heigstrand (10 mins)
- Is it the procedure or is it specialisation and volume that dictates outcome| Oliver Warren (10 mins)
- Discussion (15 mins)
Speakers
Director of Trauma and Consultant General/GI/Trauma Surgeon
Oslo University Hospital (OUH) Ulleval
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
Clinical Director of Surgery and a Consultant Colorectal and Hernia Surgeon
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
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Industry Symposium - How does pre-operative planning, intra-operative decision making and post-operative quality of life influence the choice of mesh in ventral hernia repair?
Toby Hammond
Sponsor
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Impact of abdominal wall repair on Abdominal wall function
Chair: David Ross
Mario Rui Goncalve
Speakers
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Lunch and Trade Exhibition
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Managing the Recurrent Hernia
Chair: Todd Heniford & Marja Boermeester
- Recurrent Hernia; How big is the problem, and why?| Jared Torkington (10 mins)
- My approach to the recurrent hernia| Vedra Augenstein (10 min)
- Robotics and repair of recurrent hernias | Mette Willaume (10 min)
- Treatment of the Recurrent Flank Hernia | Miguel Urena (10 min)
- Management of the Recurrent Transplant Hernia | Fred Berrevoet (10 min)
- A novel approach; The Corset repair | John Fischer (10 min)
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Discussion (10 mins)
Speakers
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery
Associate Professor
Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen
Specialist in General and Digestive Surgery / Professor of Surgery
Hospital Universitario del Henares
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Refreshments and Exhibition
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Management of the Post traumatic abdominal wall
Chair: Alastair Windsor
Tina Gaarder
Speakers
Director of Trauma and Consultant General/GI/Trauma Surgeon
Oslo University Hospital (OUH) Ulleval
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Industry Symposium - Robotic Inguinal & Ventral Hernia Repair: Experience with DEXTER® – From Daily Practice to Future Evidence
Sponsor
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The evolution of eTEP; Method and limitation
Chair: David Ross
Prof Victor Radu
Speakers
Senior General Surgeon
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TBC
Chair: Alastair Windsor
Filip Muysoms
Speakers
Senior Surgeon / Royal Belgian Society for Surgery Past President of the European Hernia Society
Senior Surgeon AZ Maria Middelares / Past President
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Welcome Reception
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Refreshments and Registration
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It’s all about the anatomy
Chairs: Al Windsor and John Fischer
- Anatomy of the abdominal wall | Yohann Renard (12 mins)
- Anatomy relearned: The Madrid TAR and the Sub Xiphoid space | Miguel Urena (12 mins)
- What every AWR surgeon should look for in a CT | Eric Pauli (12 mins)
- Discussion 10 mins
Speakers
Specialist in General and Digestive Surgery / Professor of Surgery
Hospital Universitario del Henares
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Industry Symposium Sponsored by BD - P4HB – The Journey of Hernia Repair
Dr. Fernando Ferreira
Sponsor
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Mini-Symposium: AWR in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Chairs: Dominic Slade & Todd Heniford
- Where is AI taking Surgery? | Nicholas Raison (15 mins)
- Image based deep learning in AWR | Eva Deerenberg (10 mins)
- From scalpel to software | Srinivas Chintapatla (10 mins)
- Putting AI to work as a surgeon | Todd Heniford (15 mins)
- The legal implications of AI and its application to surgery | Majid Hassan (15 mins)
- Discussion 15 mins
Speakers
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
Consultant Surgeon
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Coffee and Exhibition
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The Continuing Mesh Debate
Chairs: Jared Torkington & Rene Fortelny
- Has the bell tolled for synthetic mesh | Sam Parker (10 mins)
- Is it more about planes of placement that material | David Sanders (10 mins)
- The role of absorbable synthetics in AWR | John Fischer (10 mins)
- Biosynthetics in AWR – Should we be rethinking our approach? | Kellee Slater (10 mins)
- What’s new in the future of mesh design | Eva Deerenberg (10 mins)
- Discussion 15mins
Speakers
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Industry Symposium Sponsored by HC21 and Suturion- Moving the Needle – Advancing Fascial Closure for Better Outcomes
Prof. John Fischer
Sponsor
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The Evolution of Minimally Invasive Techniques in AWR
Chair: David Sanders
Hector Velanzuela
Speakers
Hernia and Abdominal Wall Specialist
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Lunch and Exhibition Viewing
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Managing Infected Mesh
Chairs: Mario Goncalves & John Fischer
- Strategies to prevent infection or lower the bioburden | Marja Boermeester (10 mins)
- My strategy for managing early postoperative mesh infection | Vedra Augenstein (10 mins)
- My strategy for managing late mesh infection | Dom Slade (10 mins)
- Discussion 10 mins
Speakers
Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery
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Industry Symposium Sponsored by TELABIO
Sponsor
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Repair of The Flank and Intercostal Hernia
Chair: David Ross
Vedra Augenstein
Speakers
Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery
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Afternoon Tea and Trade Exhibition
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Unheard Voices of AWRE
Chairs: Stella Smith & Sam Parker
- PROMS in 2026 | John Fischer (10 mins)
- Ventral hernia and QOL; a patient perspective | Jackie Bullock (10 mins)
- Impact of ventral hernia on social and sexual relationships | Srinivas Chintapatla (10 mins)
- Diversity and surgical outcome | Ramia Stolt (10 mins)
- ‘Burn out’ a surgical epidemic in 2026 | Oliver Warren (10 mins)
- Discussion 10 mins
Speakers
Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon
Consultant Surgeon
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinical Director of Surgery and a Consultant Colorectal and Hernia Surgeon
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
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Keeping out of trouble: A medicolegal primer for abdominal wall surgeons
Chair: Al Windsor
Majid Hassan
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Surgical Site Infection (SSI) 2026
Chair: Al Windsor
Giles Bond-Smith
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AWRE 10th Anniversary Social Reception
Please join us at The Alchemist in Monument!
To show our appreciation for ten years of the AWRE conference and thank everyone for participating in AWRE 2026, all delegates and faculty are cordially invited (without extra charge).
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Registration and Refreshments
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Video Session: Technical tips and pearls
Chairs: Oliver Warren & Al Windsor
- Open Preperitoneal repair | Todd Heniford (12 mins)
- Evaluating the role of IPOM |Henry Hoffman (12 mins)
- Laparascopic Repair | Fernando Ferreira (12 mins)
- rTAR & Frederick Helgstrand (12 mins)
- Component separation | Prof Greg Dumanian (12 mins)
- Discussion: 15 mins
Speakers
Clinical Director of Surgery and a Consultant Colorectal and Hernia Surgeon
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
Specialist in Visceral Surgery (Switzerland) F.E.B.S. Abdominal Wall Surgery
Medical Director - ZweiChirurgen GmbH Center of Hernia Surgery Basel – Zurich – Liestal Switzerland
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Industry Symposium Sponsored By CMR Surgical
Sponsor
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LIRA; Development and Technique
TBC
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Break and Exhibition Viewing
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Mini-Symposium: The Parastomal Conundrum
Chairs: Al Windsor and David Ross
- The benefit of a dedicated parastomal hernia clinic | Dom Slade (10 mins)
- Pre and Rehabilitation in parastomal hernia | Sarah Russell (10 mins)
- My approach to parastomal hernia |Toby Hammond (10 mins)
- My approach to parastomal hernia | Eric Pauli (15 mins)
- The robotic repair recurrent parastomal hernia | Bob Bloemendaal (15 mins)
- Discussion (20 mins)
Speakers
Consultant General & Colorectal Surgeon
Broomfield Hospital (Chelmsford) and Braintree Community Hospital
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Industry Symposium Sponsored
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Strategies to manage the complex and recurrent Parastomal Defect
Chair: David Ross
Guillaume Passot (15 mins)
Speake
Speakers
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Lunch & Exhibition Viewing
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The ‘unrepairable hernia’. What now?
Chair: Al Windsor
Todd Heniford (20 Mins)
Speakers
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
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Preventing and Managing Chronic Pain after Surgical Hernia Repair
Chair: Dominic Slade
John Findlay
Speakers
Consultant Abdominal Wall and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon
North Devon Comprehensive Hernia Centre
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Mini-symposium: Management of Rectus Diastasis
Chairs: Greg Dumanian and John Findlay
- An overview of the principles of Rectus Diastasis Repair | Jeff Janis (12 mins)
- A General Surgical Approach | Henry Hoffman (12 mins)
- MIS repair of Rectus Diastasis | Fernando Ferreira (15 Mins)
- Management of diastasis in the low BMI patient after pregnancy |David Ross (12 mins)
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Discussion 15 mins
Speakers
Consultant Abdominal Wall and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon
North Devon Comprehensive Hernia Centre
Physician / Clinical Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Specialist in Visceral Surgery (Switzerland) F.E.B.S. Abdominal Wall Surgery
Medical Director - ZweiChirurgen GmbH Center of Hernia Surgery Basel – Zurich – Liestal Switzerland
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Closing Remarks
Al Windsor and David Ross
Speakers