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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 sponsored by Medtronic
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: 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
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
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Industry symposium sponsored by Gore
Sponsor

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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
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
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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Industry symposium sponsored by BD
Sponsor

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The evolution of eTEP; Method and limitation
Prof Victor Radu
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Welcome Reception
Faculty Dinner
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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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Industry symposium sponsored by Distalmotion
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 | TBC (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 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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Industry 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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Industry symposium sponsored by TELABIO
Sponsor

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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 | 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
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
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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
Director
Endeavor Comprehensive Abdominal Wall Health and Hernia Centre, Endeavor Health Chicago, Illinois
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Industry symposium sponsored
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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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Industry symposium sponsored
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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)
Speaker
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
John Findlay
Speaker
Consultant Abdominal Wall and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon
North Devon Comprehensive Hernia Centre
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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