The State of Surgical Task Sharing for Inguinal Hernia Repair in Limited-Resource Countries.

BACKGROUND: In limited-resource countries, the morbidity and mortality related to inguinal hernias is unacceptably high. This review addresses the issue by identifying capacity-building education of non-surgeons performing inguinal hernia repairs in developing countries and analyzing the outcomes. METHODS: PubMed was searched and included are studies that reported on task sharing and surgical outcomes for inguinal hernia surgery. Educational methods with quantitative and qualitative effects of the capacity-building methods have been recorded. Excluded were papers without records of outcome data. RESULTS: Seven studies from African countries reported 14,108 elective inguinal hernia repairs performed by 230 non-surgeons with a mortality rate of 0.36%. Complications were reported in 4 of the 7 studies with a morbidity rate of 14.2%. Two studies reported on follow-up: one with no recurrences in 408 patients at 7.4 months and the other one with 0.9% recurrences in 119 patients at 12 months. Direct comparison of outcomes from trained non-surgeons to surgeons or surgically trained medical doctors is limited but suggests no difference in outcomes. Quantitative capacity-building effects include increase in surgical workforce, case volume, elective procedures, mesh utilization, and decreased referrals to higher level of care institutions. Qualitative capacity-building effects include feasibility of prospective research in limited-resource settings, improved access to surgical care, and change in practice pattern of local physicians after training for mesh repair. CONCLUSION: Systematic training of non-surgeons in inguinal hernia repair is potentially a high-impact capacity-building strategy. High-risk patients should be referred to a fully trained surgeon whenever possible. Randomized study designs and long-term outcomes beyond 1 year are needed.

Web-Based Video Assessments of Operative Performance for Remote Telementoring.

INTRODUCTION: Performance-based feedback is critical to surgical skills acquisition. Barriers of geography and time limit trainees' access to expert mentorship. In this study, we hypothesized that telementoring using an asynchronous, web-based video interface would allow trainees to receive systematic feedback from expert mentors despite these barriers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2014 and October 2016, 18 surgeons in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Paraguay underwent in-person training in Lichtenstein for hernioplasty or laparoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair. After initial training, surgeons submitted 6- to 12-month interval operative videos for expert review. Expert surgeons reviewed each video using the Surgus web platform with performance metrics adapted from the Operative Performance Rating Scale (OPRS). The time required to perform video review, number of freeform comments, mean OPRS scores, and variance of OPRS scores among telementors was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 18 surgeons submitted 20 operative videos, and three expert surgeons reviewed each video using the Surgus platform. The median time to perform video review was 20 minutes. Median number of freeform verbal comments was eight. Mean OPRS overall performance scores were 3.9 ± 0.9 (scale of five). Mean variance in scoring among telementors for overall performance was 0.25 (maximum 5.29), suggesting a high degree of concordance. CONCLUSIONS: Video-based assessments had a high degree of concordance among expert raters. Asynchronous performance reviews by telementors offer opportunities for longitudinal feedback that overcome geographical, material, and temporal disparities. This platform offers a means of sharing expertise in surgical training, continuing education, credentialing, and global health.

A proposed classification for uniform endoscopic description of surgical fundoplication.

BACKGROUND: Objective assessment of postfundoplication anatomy is of utmost importance especially if reoperative intervention is being planned. There is a lack of uniformity in the description of endoscopic findings in these patients.The purpose of this study was to propose a classification for standardized endoscopic reporting of postfundoplication anatomy. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, preoperative endoscopic findings of patients who underwent reoperative intervention from 1992 to 2011 were reviewed a nd classified. The classification included four factors:E (distance of GEJ to crus), S (amount of gastric tissue between the GEJ and fundoplication), F (fundoplication configuration), and P (paraesophageal hernia). RESULTS: The endoscopic findings of 310 patients who underwent reoperative antireflux surgery were classified using the newly proposed classification model. A significant increase in the number of procedures was noted over the years.There was no change in presenting symptoms and patterns of failure over the years. The classification model was easily applicable to previous endoscopy reports. There was good symptom association with our classification model. DISCUSSION: An endoscopic anatomical classification is proposed for description of failed fundoplication. With this classification, we hope to fill the gap in developing a uniform classification of failed fundoplications. Further studies addressing widespread applicability and outcome analysis are needed.

Mucosal excision and suturing for obesity and GERD.

BACKGROUND: Suture and staple-based endoluminal devices for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obesity have failed to demonstrate long-term efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility of mucosal excision and full-thickness suture apposition of the excision beds to create sufficient scar tissue formation at the gastroesophageal junction for the intraluminal treatment of GERD or obesity. DESIGN: Survival animal experiments. PATIENTS: Seven mongrel dogs. Interventions. Under general endotracheal anesthesia, a Barostat test was performed on 4 dogs. A mucosal excision device was introduced through the esophagus into the proximal stomach. Two to 4 mucosal excisions were performed on all dogs at or just below the gastroesophageal junction and the mucosal pieces were removed. After hemostasis, an intraluminal suturing instrument was introduced and either 2 or 4 sutures were placed through the excision beds to bring them into apposition. These were tied and the suture strands cut. All dogs were survived for 2 months. End-term endoscopies were performed, and a repeat Barostat procedure was performed on the animals undergoing an antireflux procedure. After euthanasia the stomachs were explanted, examined, photographed, and sectioned for histologic examination. RESULTS: All dogs survived without complication. In the 4 GERD dogs, the Barostat studies demonstrated a significant decrease in gastroesophageal junction compliance. In the 3 dogs undergoing the obesity procedure, the gastric outlet apposition to a 6-mm endoscope was satisfactory with full insufflation and the desired scarring was seen on histologic examination. CONCLUSION: It is possible to create adequate gastroesophageal junction scarring for the treatment of GERD and obesity. A clinical pilot study will be initiated.

Insights gained from symptom evaluation of esophageal motility disorders: a review of 4,215 patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Achalasia (Ach), diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), nutcracker esophagus (NE), and nonspecific motility disorder (NSMD) are described primary esophageal body motility disorders; however, their clinical symptom correlation is poorly understood. The aim of this study is to examine the association between a patient's presenting symptoms and their manometric diagnosis. METHODS: Manometric findings and reported symptoms of all patients undergoing esophageal manometry at the Creighton University Medical Center were prospectively entered in a database. Twenty-four-year data from 1984 through 2008 were accessed and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 4,215 patients, 130 (3.1%) had Ach, 192 (4.6%) had DES, 290 (6.9%) had NE, 508 (12.1%) had NSMD, and 3,095 (73.4%) had normal esophageal body motility. There was significant symptom overlap between the groups. Ach and DES had a similar symptom distribution, with dysphagia being the predominant symptom. Patients with NE, normal body motility, and NSMD presented predominantly with reflux symptoms. There was an increasing prevalence of esophageal dysmotility (DES and NSMD) with age, and women were found to be more likely to have NE than men. CONCLUSION: In an individual, reported symptoms do not correlate with their manometric diagnosis in a predictable fashion, and a thorough physiological assessment should be obtained to understand and diagnose the disease process. Esophageal motility deteriorates with age.

Endoscopic assessment of failed fundoplication: a case for standardization.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative endoscopic assessment of the failed fundoplication is instrumental in diagnosis and surgical management. Endoscopy is a routine and essential part of the workup for a failed fundoplication, but no clear guidelines exist for reporting endoscopic findings. This study aimed to compare endoscopic findings reported by community physicians (gastroenterologists and surgeons) with the findings of the authors (esophageal center) for patients who underwent reoperative intervention after a previous antireflux procedure. METHODS: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed to identify patients who underwent reoperation after a failed antireflux operation between 1 December 2003 and 30 June 2010. Endoscopic findings as reported by the outside physician and by the esophageal center endoscopist were reviewed and compared. RESULTS: During the study period, 229 patients underwent reoperation. Of these patients, 20 did not have endoscopy performed by an outside physician and were excluded from the study, leaving 208 patients. The endoscopic reports of the esophageal center physician included 97 cases of hiatal hernia (64 type 1 and 33 types 2 and 3), 52 slipped fundoplications, 61 disrupted fundoplications, 30 intrathoracic fundoplications, 25 twisted fundoplications, 14 two-compartment stomachs, and 27 cases of Barrett's esophagus. Outside physicians identified 68% of the hiatal hernias and 61% of the paraesophageal hernias reported by the authors. Only 32% of the outside reports mentioned a previous fundoplication. Furthermore, only 17% of the slipped fundoplications and 30% of the disrupted fundoplications were so described. Outside physicians identified 19 of the 27 patients with Barrett's esophagus. CONCLUSION: Fundoplication changes described by the general endoscopist are inadequate. With an increasing population of patients who have undergone prior antireflux surgery, incorporation of fundoplication assessment in an endoscopic curriculum may be helpful.

Initial experience with Barrett's strip endoscopic mucosal excision: a new Barrett's excision device.

BACKGROUND: Barrett's mucosa resection techniques are time consuming, often difficult to perform, and used with varying success. This report describes the authors' results with a new device and technique for strip endoscopic mucosal resection (SEMR) using a cold excision blade. METHODS: A retrospective review of ex vivo and in vivo animal and human esophagi experiments was conducted to develop the essential design characteristics of a transoral strip mucosal excision device. Depth, size, shape, and technique of excision were serially evaluated. RESULTS: The SEMR device allows precise capsule positioning with satisfactory excision size and depth in ex vivo and in vivo experiments. A total of 10 excisions were performed on five normal ex vivo cadaveric human esophagi. The specimens ranged in size from 3×2.5 to 2.5×2.2 cm. The average specimen thickness was 0.297 mm. For 147 (99.8%) of 150 fields of examination, muscularis mucosa was included. Six additional in vivo experiments demonstrated device safety and feasibility. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory excision depth was reproducible. Further animal survival experiments and clinical trials will define the role of the SEMR device for patients with Barrett's esophagus.

Good training allows excellent results for laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication even early in the surgeon's experience.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is the gold standard for surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a well-defined learning curve for the procedure has been described. This study aimed to assess whether the surgeon's experience has an effect on 1-year symptom scores and patient satisfaction. METHODS: All the patients who underwent antireflux surgery were entered into a prospectively maintained database including 1-year postoperative symptom scores. The database was queried in June 2008 to identify patients who had been followed up for 1 year. To decrease variability, the patients with a large hiatal hernia (>5 cm), paraesophageal hernia, treatment with partial fundoplication, a required Collis gastroplasty, or treatment with a transthoracic procedure were excluded from the study. RESULTS: From September 2003 to March 2007, 215 consecutive patients underwent primary antireflux surgery. Of these 215 patients, 158 (93 women with a mean age of 50.9 ± 13.6 years; range, 18-87 years) met the inclusion criteria and were divided into three groups: early group (9/2003-10/2004), mid group (10/2004-12/2005), and late group (12/2005-3/2007). Experience significantly decreased the mean operative time (P < 0.05) and the hospital stay (P < 0.05). Additionally, the number of patients who required reoperative intervention also decreased with experience. There was no difference in the patient-reported symptom scores at 1 year for heartburn (mean, 0.3 ± 0.7), regurgitation (mean, 0.1 ± 0.4), or dysphagia (mean, 0.3 ± 0.6) (P > 0.05 for each). However, chest pain (mean, 0.2 ± 0.4) was significantly improved with experience (P < 0.05). The overall patient-reported mean satisfaction was 9.0 ± 1.9 (P > 0.05, scale, 1-10), and 14.5% (19/131) of the patients reported use of acid suppression medications. CONCLUSIONS: A high degree of 1-year symptom resolution and satisfaction can be achieved even early in a surgeon's experience provided there is adequate training and maintenance of strict adherence to technique.

Preoperative predictability of the short esophagus: endoscopic criteria.

BACKGROUND: Short esophagus is a common cause of failure of antireflux surgery. Minimally invasive intervention for short esophagus is technically difficult. Reliable predictors of short esophagus would allow appropriate referral and better outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate the preoperative predictability of the short esophagus in patients undergoing antireflux surgery. METHODS: Eighty-five patients with Collis gastroplasty and antireflux surgery (1994-2007) at a single institution form group A. Control group (B) comprises 205 consecutive patients undergoing primary antireflux surgery (2004-2007). Retrospective review of prospectively collected data was completed. Esophageal length index (ELI) was calculated as the ratio of endoscopic esophageal length (in cm) to height (in meters). RESULTS: Patients requiring Collis gastroplasty (group A) tend to be older while there were no significant differences in sex, height, weight, and body mass index distribution between groups. Mean endoscopic esophageal length (EEL) as measured from incisor to esophagogastric junction was significantly shorter in group A (32.4 cm) as compared with group B (36.2c m) (p < 0.0001). Esophageal length index (ELI) of less than 19.5 had 83% negative predictive value with 95% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with an ELI of less than 19.5 or with stricture have higher risk for having a short esophagus.

Mesh complications after prosthetic reinforcement of hiatal closure: a 28-case series.

BACKGROUND: Primary laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair is associated with up to a 42% recurrence rate. This has lead to the use of mesh for crural repair, which has resulted in an improved recurrence rate (0-24%). However, mesh complications have been observed. METHODS: We compiled two cases, and our senior author contacted other experienced esophageal surgeons who provided 26 additional cases with mesh-related complications. Care was taken to retrieve technical operative details concerning mesh size and shape and implantation technique used. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients underwent laparoscopic and two patients open surgery for large hiatal hernia (n = 28). Twenty-five patients had a concomitant Nissen fundoplication, two a Toupet fundoplication, and one a Watson fundoplication. Mesh types placed were polypropylene (n = 8), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (n = 12), biological mesh (n = 7), and dual mesh (n = 1). Presenting symptoms associated with mesh complications were dysphagia (n = 22), heartburn (n = 10), chest pain (n = 14), fever (n = 1), epigastric pain (n = 2), and weight loss (n = 4). Main reoperative findings were intraluminal mesh erosion (n = 17), esophageal stenosis (n = 6), and dense fibrosis (n = 5). Six patients required esophagectomy, two patients had partial gastrectomy, and 1 patient had total gastrectomy. Five patients did not require surgery. In this group one patient had mesh removal by endoscopy. There was no immediate postoperative mortality, however one patient has severe gastroparesis and five patients are dependent on tube feeding. Two patients died 3 months postoperatively of unknown cause. There is no apparent relationship between mesh type and configuration with the complications encountered. CONCLUSION: Complications related to synthetic mesh placement at the esophageal hiatus are more common than previously reported. Multicenter prospective studies are needed to determine the best method and type of mesh for implantation.

A study of intragastric and intravesicular pressure changes during rest, coughing, weight lifting, retching, and vomiting.

BACKGROUND: In patients undergoing a variety of procedures, surgical success is in part dependent on maintaining normal intra-abdominal pressure in the immediate postoperative period. Our objective was to quantify intragastric and intravesicular pressures during activities, through the use of manometry catheters. METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers had a manometry catheter placed transnasally, and a urinary Foley catheter placed. Baseline intragastric and intravesicular pressures were recorded and the catheters were then transduced continuously. Pressures were recorded with activity: coughing, lifting weights, retching (dry heaving), and vomiting. RESULTS: All pressure changes were significant from baseline except for weight lifting. The highest intragastric pressure was 290 mmHg, seen during vomiting. Comparison of intragastric and intravesicular pressures showed no significant difference. There was significantly higher intragastric pressure with vomiting and retching as compared with coughing, whereas coughing applied more pressure than weight lifting. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of intragastric pressures during vomiting and retching (dry heaving). We conclude that vomiting and retching (dry heaving) can render significant forces on any tissue apposition within the stomach or the peritoneal cavity.

Use of temporary esophageal stent in management of perforations after benign esophageal surgery.

Successful conservative management in 3 patients with catastrophic postoperative esophageal leak after nonresection surgery is presented. In each case, the placement of removable stent played a significant role. First patient had persistent leak after primary repair of intrathoracic esophageal perforation. The second patient underwent a transthoracic redo Collis-Nissen repair and was subsequently found to have a perforation in the midesophagus. The last patient had a history of recurrent hiatal hernia repair with mesh reinforcement of the hiatus. A perforation resulted from mesh eroding into the esophagus. All the patients had endoscopic placement of removable silicone-covered polyester stent under fluoroscopic guidance. Stent placement was successful in all patients allowing immediate resumption of diet. After stent removal, contrast study showed no leak or stricture. Endoscopic stent therapy is an effective option in the management of postoperative esophageal perforation.

Centralized, capacity-building training of Lichtenstein hernioplasty in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, access to healthcare varies widely by community. Options for repair of surgically correctable conditions, such as inguinal hernias, are limited. A training program was instituted to expand access to Lichtenstein hernioplasty. METHODS: Between September, 2014 and September, 2015, 3 orders of training series took place in São Paulo, Brazil. Participating surgeons received training and assessments from expert trainers using the Operative Performance Rating Scale (OPRS). Those who completed training successfully were invited to become trainers. OPRS scores were compared between training series. Outcomes were documented up to 6 months post-training. RESULTS: The 3 orders of training series resulted in 45 surgeons trained and 213 hernias repaired. Eleven trainees subsequently became trainers. Mean post-training OPRS scores were 4.4 (scale of 5) and did not vary significantly between training series. The overall complication rate was 4.7%, with no hernia recurrences or reoperations at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Competency-based training generates a regional network of surgeons proficient in Lichtenstein hernioplasty. Each training session progressively expands patient access to high quality operations in underserved communities in Brazil.

Global Outreach Using a Systematic, Competency-Based Training Paradigm for Inguinal Hernioplasty.

Importance: Sustainable, capacity-building educational collaborations are essential to address the global burden of surgical disease. Objective: To assess an international, competency-based training paradigm for hernia surgery in underserved countries. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prospective, observational study performed from November 1, 2013, through October 31, 2015, at 16 hospitals in Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic, surgeons completed initial training programs in hernia repair, underwent interval proficiency assessments, and were appointed regional trainers. Competency-based evaluations of technical proficiency were performed using the Operative Performance Rating Scale (OPRS). Maintenance of proficiency was evaluated by video assessments 6 months after training. Certified trainees received incentives to document independent surgical outcomes after training. Main Outcomes and Measures: An OPRS score of 3.0 (scale of 1 [poor] to 5 [excellent]) indicated proficiency. Secondary outcomes included initial vs final scores by country, scores among surgeons trained by the regional trainers (second-order trainees), interval scores 6 months after training, and postoperative complications. Results: A total of 20 surgeon trainers, 81 local surgeons, and 364 patients (343 adult, 21 pediatric) participated in the study (mean [SD] age, 47.5 [16.3] years; age range, 16-83 years). All 81 surgeons successfully completed the program, and all 364 patients received successful operations. Mean (SD) OPRS scores improved from 4.06 (0.87) before the initial training program to 4.52 (0.57) after training (P < .001). No significant variation was found by country in final scores. On trainee certification, 20 became regional trainers. The mean (SD) OPRS score among 53 second-order trainees was 4.34 (0.68). After 6-month intervals, the mean (SD) OPRS score among participating surgeons was 4.34 (0.55). The overall operative complication rate during training series was 1.1%. Conclusions and Relevance: Competency-based training helps address the global burden of surgical disease. The OPRS establishes an international standard of technical assessment. Additional studies of long-term surgeon trainer proficiency, community-specific quality initiatives, and expansion to other operations are warranted.

Assessment of diaphragmatic stressors as risk factors for symptomatic failure of laparoscopic nissen fundoplication.

An important limitation of antireflux surgery is a 5%-10% failure rate. We investigated the correlation between various diaphragm stressors and failure of antireflux surgery. Forty-one study cases who underwent a reoperative antireflux operation from 1997 to 2001 and 50 control patients who had undergone a successful laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication during the same period without clinical or symptomatic evidence of failure were randomly selected for comparison. A retrospective analysis was conducted utilizing a standardized diaphragm stressor questionnaire, addressing the period between the primary and secondary operation. Stressors considered in the study included height, body mass index (BMI), postoperative gagging, vomiting, weight lifting (greater than 100 pounds), coughing, hiccuping, motion sickness, retching, belching, antidepressant use, smoking, preoperative grade of esophagitis, size of hiatal hernia, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, esophageal body pressures, and preoperative response to proton pump inhibitors. Of the potential stressors investigated, the following were significantly associated with surgical failure after adjusting for other variables through multivariate analysis: gagging (P = 0.005), belching (P = 0.02), and hernia size greater than 3 cm (P = 0.04; Table 1). Other potential risk factors show trends as obvious in Fig. 2. Vomiting was significant (P = 0.01) in the earlier models but lost significance when logistic regression was applied. Patients with postoperative gagging and an intraoperative hiatal hernia (greater than 3 cm) have a poorer outcome, whereas patients with postoperative belching have a better long-term outcome.

Endoscopic therapies of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The high prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Western societies has accelerated the need for new modalities of treatment. Currently, medical and surgical therapies are widely accepted among patients and physicians. New potent antisecretory drugs and the development of minimally invasive surgery for the management of GERD are at present the pivotal and largely accepted approaches to treatment. The minimally invasive treatment revolution, however, has stimulated several new endoscopic techniques for GERD. Up to now, the data is limited and further studies are necessary to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the various endoscopic techniques to medical and laparoscopic management of GERD. New journal articles and abstracts are continuously being published. The Food and Drug Administration has approved 3 modalities, thus gastroenterologists and surgeons are beginning to apply these techniques. Further trials and device refinements will assist clinicians. This article will present an overview of the various techniques that are currently on study. This review will report the efficacy and durability of various endoscopic therapies for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The potential for widespread use of these techniques will also be discussed. Articles and abstracts published in English on this topic were retrieved from Pubmed. Due to limited number of studies and remarkable differences between various trials, strict criteria were not used for the pooled data presented, however, an effort was made to avoid bias by including only studies that used off-PPI scoring as baseline and intent to treat.

Collagen metabolism and recurrent hiatal hernia: cause and effect?

Hiatus hernia (HH) is a condition characterized by herniation of the intra-abdominal organs into the thorax. Of the several types that have been identified, the most common is type I (sliding) HH. Congenital predisposition and acquired factors, for example trauma and iatrogeny, have been identified as causative factors. There is a strong association between gastroesophageal reflux disease and HH-the prevalence of reflux in HH may reach 94%. Many methods have been used to treat reflux disease and HH, among which are laparoscopic techniques, which gained popularity as a safe method of treatment. Primary crural repair without mesh application was found to have a recurrence rate of up to 42%. This led to the introduction of mesh in HH repair, which was associated with a significant decrease in recurrence rate. Collagen and its relation to hernia have been investigated for several decades. Collagen has mechanical properties sufficient to enable it to support healed scars and other tissues. Nineteen distinct types of collagen have been recognized, the most common of which are types I and III. Type III collagen is the major constituent of early granulation tissue whereas type I predominates as healing proceeds. Collagen fibers are imbedded in extracellular matrix (ECM), which is in continuous process of synthesis and degradation under the action of matrix metalloproteinases. Many authors have studied the role of collagen in ventral hernia and have even defined hernia as a disease of the ECM. The relationship between collagen and HH, and its recurrence, is not fully understood and needs further investigation.

Surgical repair of recurrent hiatal hernia.

The surgical management results of recurrent hiatal hernia repair are unknown in the laparoscopic era. The experience of the senior authors (CJF) and (SKM) is reported herein. From 1993 to 2004, 52 patients underwent re-operative hiatal hernia surgery at our center. Preoperative symptoms were heartburn, chest pain, dysphagia, regurgitation and pulmonary manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Patients had preoperative evaluation by upper endoscopy, pH-monitoring, esophagogram and manometry to assess the mechanism of failure. Pre- and postoperative symptoms were assessed utilizing a standardized questionnaire. Patients underwent laparoscopic repair (n=18), open laparotomy (n=6) and transthoracic surgery (n=28). Ninety-five percent follow-up was achieved with a mean follow-up of 34 months. Thirty-seven percent of patients encountered para-operative complications one of them died due to respiratory insufficiency. Five patients experienced a re-recurrent hernia. The symptom resolution was 65% for dysphagia, 68% for heartburn, 95% for chest pain and 79% for regurgitation. The overall patient satisfaction was 6.94 on a scale of 1-10. There was no significant difference in patient outcome when comparing the operative approaches or disease process. Surgical repair of recurrent hiatal hernias is safe and effective. Laparoscopic surgery is an appropriate alternative approach for recurrent hiatal hernia repair in selected patients.

Endoluminal gastroplasty: a new treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Initial studies demonstrate that EndoCinch is safe and may be an effective outpatient procedure. Symptom improvement, reduction in medication requirements, and ultrasound evidence of muscle hypertrophy are encouraging. The durability of these benefits remains in question. Seventeen percent of patients require a repeat gastroplication to achieve a satisfactory result and some elect to undergo laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Additional investigations are required to assess the number and location of the plications for optimal patient outcome. Prospective randomized studies comparing ELGP to medical and surgical treatments of GERD may be appropriate after device refinements. Of additional importance is the possibility of a cure with an ELGP. Patients who are self-medicated or noncompliant often are willing to seek consultation if a noninvasive curative procedure is available. One third of these patients have advanced disease and are treated best with surgery rather than an ELGP; thus, surgeons should be involved with ELGP for GERD control.

Wearable Technology for Global Surgical Teleproctoring.

OBJECTIVE: In underserved communities around the world, inguinal hernias represent a significant burden of surgically-treatable disease. With traditional models of international surgical assistance limited to mission trips, a standardized framework to strengthen local healthcare systems is lacking. We established a surgical education model using web-based tools and wearable technology to allow for long-term proctoring and assessment in a resource-poor setting. This is a feasibility study examining wearable technology and web-based performance rating tools for long-term proctoring in an international setting. METHODS: Using the Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair as the index surgical procedure, local surgeons in Paraguay and Brazil were trained in person by visiting international expert trainers using a formal, standardized teaching protocol. Surgeries were captured in real-time using Google Glass and transmitted wirelessly to an online video stream, permitting real-time observation and proctoring by mentoring surgeon experts in remote locations around the world. A system for ongoing remote evaluation and support by experienced surgeons was established using the Lichtenstein-specific Operative Performance Rating Scale. RESULTS: Data were collected from 4 sequential training operations for surgeons trained in both Paraguay and Brazil. With continuous internet connectivity, live streaming of the surgeries was successful. The Operative Performance Rating Scale was immediately used after each operation. Both surgeons demonstrated proficiency at the completion of the fourth case. CONCLUSIONS: A sustainable model for surgical training and proctoring to empower local surgeons in resource-poor locations and "train trainers" is feasible with wearable technology and web-based communication. Capacity building by maximizing use of local resources and expertise offers a long-term solution to reducing the global burden of surgically-treatable disease.