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SAGES 2026 Annual Meeting Emerging Technology Session
March 25-28, 2026 | Tampa, FL, USA
P071
Exploring Patient-Reported Quality of Life After Combined Panniculectomy and Ventral Hernia Repair: A Qualitative Study
Poster Presenter
Authors
Yu Xuan Jin, Daphne Lu, Helen Hsiao, Zaima Chowdhury, Nancy Van Laeken, Tracy Scott
Affiliations
Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Penn State University, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of British Columbia, Division of General Surgery, University of British Columbia
Part of Topic
Abdominal Wall Hernias
Introduction
•Concurrent Ventral Hernia Repair with Panniculectomy (VHR-PAN) is performed for large complex ventral or incisional hernias associated with excessive soft tissue to improve abdominal contour
•Common causes of hernias requiring VHR-PAN include trauma, infection, and malignancy
•These patient populations correlate with higher morbidity rates, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare expenses
•There is a paucity of published literature on patient-reported outcomes following VHR-PAN, despite it being a safe and cosmetically beneficial option
Objectives
•Primary objective: To evaluate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients undergoing complex abdominal wall reconstruction with VHR-PAN
■Physical well-being
■Emotional health
■Psychosocial quality of life
•Secondary objective: To perform a qualitative synthesis of major themes of patient experiences arising from complex surgical management
Methods
•Study design: Single-centre qualitative study
•Population: Patients >18 years old who underwent elective VHR-PAN at St. Paul’s Hospital (January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2024)
•Excluded: CDC Class IV, parastomal hernias
•Analysis:
■Descriptive summary statistics
■Braun & Clarke’s thematic analysis
■Dual independent interview coding until thematic saturation
•Data Collection:
■Semi-structured interviews
■Likert questions (PROMs)
■Open-ended discussions
Study Limitations
•Small sample size (n=13)
•Predominantly female patients (12/13)
•Single-center study
•Retrospective study design
•(recall bias and confounding factors)
•Self-selection bias (higher rates of postoperative complications)
Main Qualitative Themes and Quotes
1. Improved Image & Self-Perception
■“I think it's better than before. The hernia I had before was huge and it was really ugly…I felt really self conscious about it, even with my husband.”
■"So I feel much less disfigured…not somebody with this huge protrusion, and it was really big."
2. Psychosocial Distress & Uncertainty
■“I feel depressed. I feel anxious. It's not perfect [but] it's definitely not as bad as it was.”
■"That was the third time that...surgery had been done...other surgeons had attempted a hernia repair…and, well, the result was it didn't work."
3. Recovery Process
■“I just must admit I kind of followed my own body's discretion because I healed very quickly.”
■“I kind of hold myself back even though I could probably do [activities of daily living]. I just worry if I do it too much then that might cause my hernia to come back or whatever the case is.”
4. Pain & Complications
■“I did have quite a bad infection...you know that smell when somebody is has infection inside, yeah? So I knew that I smelled like that.”
■“I was just kind of surprised at how painful the post op was. I don't feel like I was prepared for that. I knew [the recovery] was going to be at least four to six weeks…I just didn't realize it was going to be that painful.”
5. Satisfaction, trust, and communication with the surgeons and staff
■“I have the utmost respect for both of the surgeons and the team because they totally changed my life in a heartbeat. From the time that I found out about it to going through all the different medical staff that I had to go through, there's not one time that I could honestly tell you that I felt afraid or scared. They were very, very comforting.”
■“I am incredibly grateful for the surgery. It changed my life in ways that I couldn't even imagine how it's changed my life. It gave me my life back, to be honest with you”
Future Direction
•Future Research
■Prospective study design to capture quality of life along a timescale at baseline, perioperatively, and postoperatively
■Long-term follow-up
•Collaboration with Patient Population
○Comprehensive educational materials and take-home resources
•Peer-to-Peer Support Networks
•Improved Healthcare Provider Communication
Conclusion
•Further research is needed to evaluate long-term patient-reported outcomes and quality of life following VHR-PAN