Day 1
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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 Talk
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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
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Morning Coffee and Trade Exhibition
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How do I select an operative procedure?
Chair: David Ross
- 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)
- Do you really need a robot; the laparoscope will suffice| Oliver Warren (10 mins)
- Discussion (15 mins)
Speakers
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Sponsored talk
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Impact of abdominal wall repair on Abdominal wall function|
Mario Rui Goncalves (15 mins + 5 mins questions)
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Lunch and Trade Exhibition
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TBC
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 (15 mins)
Speakers
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
Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) Director of Clinical Research
University of Pennsylvania
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Refreshments and Exhibition
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Management of the Post traumatic abdominal wall
Tina Gaarder (25 mins + 5 mins questions)
Speaker
Director of Trauma and Consultant General/GI/Trauma Surgeon
Oslo University Hospital (OUH) Ulleval
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Sponsored Symposium
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The evolution of eTEP; Method and limitation
Prof Victor Radu
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Welcome Reception
Faculty Dinner
Day 2
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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 9 mins
Speakers
Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) Director of Clinical Research
University of Pennsylvania
Specialist in General and Digestive Surgery / Professor of Surgery
Hospital Universitario del Henares
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Sponsored Symposium
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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 | Professor Emma Cave (15 mins)
- Discussion 15 mins
Speakers
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 Fisher (10 mins)
- The next generation biologics and remodelling | TBC (10 mins)
- What’s new in the future of mesh design | Eva Deerenberg (10 mins)
- Discussion 15mins
Speakers
Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) Director of Clinical Research
University of Pennsylvania
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Sponsored symposium
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The evolution of minimally invasive techniques in AWR
Hector Velanzuela
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Lunch and exhibition viewing
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Managing infected mesh
Chairs: Mario Goncalves & John Fisher
- Strategies to prevent infection or lower the bioburden | Marja Boermeester (10 mins)
- My strategy for managing the infected mesh | Vedra Augenstein (10 mins)
- My strategy for managing the infected mesh | Dom Slade (10 mins)
- Discussion 10 mins
Speakers
Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) Director of Clinical Research
University of Pennsylvania
Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery
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Sponsored Symposium
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Repair of The Flank and Intercostal Hernia
Vedra Augenstein
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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 Fisher (10 mins)
- Ventral hernia and QOL; a patient perspective | Jaquie Blackburn (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
Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery) Director of Clinical Research
University of Pennsylvania
Consultant Surgeon
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Keeping out of trouble: A medicolegal primer for abdominal wall surgeons
Chair Al Windsor
Lauren Sutherland (20 mins)
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Networking Reception
Day 3
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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
- Evaluating the role of IPOM |Henry Hoffman
- Laparascopic Repair | Fernando Ferreira
- rTAR & Frederick Helgstrand
- Component separation | Prof Greg Dumanian
- Discussion: 15 mins
Speakers
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Sponsored symposium
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LIRA; Development and Technique
Salva Morales
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Break and exhibition viewing
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Mini-Symposium: The Parastomal Conundrum
- The value of a parastomal MDT | 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 Bloomendaal (15 mins)
- Discussion (20 mins)
Speakers
Consultant General & Colorectal Surgeon
Broomfield Hospital (Chelmsford) and Braintree Community Hospital
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Sponsored Symposium
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Strategies to manage the complex and recurrent Parastomal Defect
Guillaume Passot (15 mins)
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Lunch & exhibition viewing
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The ‘unrepairable hernia’. What now?
Todd Heniford (20mins)
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Preventing and Managing Chronic Pain after Surgical Hernia Repair
John Findlay
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Mini-symposium: Management of Rectus Diastasis
- An overview of the principles of Rectus Diastasis Repair | Jeff Janis (12 mins)
- Management of the Male Diastas MIS approach | Salva Morales (12mins)
- 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
Physician / Clinical Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
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Closing Remarks
Al Windsor and David Ross
Speakers