ePoster
Presentation Description
Institution: Barwon Health - Victoria, Australia
Purpose/Introduction:
Hernia repair is one of the most frequently performed surgical interventions worldwide. In recent years, University Hospital Geelong (UHG) has increased its capacity to perform hernia repairs to a greater number of patients from differing locations, as far afield as Northeast Victoria. This study provides a comprehensive overview of hernia surgery at UHG, with specific attention to its unique surgical capacity including access to robotic platforms and multidisciplinary support.
Methodology:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using institutional data from UHG for all hernia surgery performed between January 1, 2017, and May 31, 2024. UHG has greatly improved its capacity for hernia surgery (233 hernia repairs in 2017, compared to 376 in 2024). A reflection on successful structural intervention that contributed to increased hernia intervention was undertaken.
Results:
Between 2017 and 2024, a total of 1890 patients underwent 1967 hernia procedures. There was a lull in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (176 repairs).
A dedicated hernia multidisciplinary team was introduced within the last 18 months, comprising surgeons, radiologists, anaesthetists, physiotherapists and perioperative nursing staff in order to enable robust pre-operative planning and optimisation. A dedicated Hernia MDM and monthly hernia-specific clinic was introduced. As of 2026, a hernia-specific elective team will be introduced to UHG, alongside existing general surgery subspecialties. Overall hernia awareness and education has significantly increased.
Conclusion:
Relative to national trends, UHG demonstrates higher case complexity and surgical volume, reflecting its advanced surgical capabilities and progress within the field of hernia. With introduction of these above measures, an increase in capacity could be achievable in other centres.
Presenters
Authors
Authors
Dr Christine Atkins - , Dr Jeremy Wild - , A/Prof Sonalmeet Nagra - , A/Prof Margaret Hunter -
