OBJECTIVES:

Several studies show that targeting factors that constrain efficiency in the operating room can provide important benefits to surgical staff and hospitals. Shorter procedure time with Echo PS™ Positioning System may shorten anesthesia time. Shorter anesthesia duration is associated with reduced length of stay, reduced pulmonary complications, and reduced postoperative infection, nausea and vomiting. Hernia repair with the Echo PS™ Positioning System does not require patients to have pre-placed orientation sutures or an additional trocar for mesh for placement and fixation, avoiding complications related to suturing and additional incisions or trocar use. The primary goal of this study is to compare Echo PS™ positioning system used with Ventralight™ ST vs Flat mesh in Laparoscopic Hernia repair procedures.

METHODS:

A retrospective analysis of laparoscopic hernia repair procedures using large, medium or small sizes of either Echo PS^TM with Ventralight™ ST or mesh without a positioning system for treatment of Ventral Hernia from the Premier Hospital Database in the Outpatient surgical setting was conducted. Laparoscopic hernias (ICD-9 53.62 & 53.63) for patients with a procedure between July 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016 were evaluated.

RESULTS:

Propensity Score Matching resulted in differences in surgery time by size for Ventralight™ ST with Echo vs Flat Mesh without Echo: Small: 107.9 (N=120) vs 123.5 (N=120), 15.6 minutes, p=0.039; Medium: 105.2 (N=172) vs 106.4 (N=172), 1.26 minutes, p=0.820; Large: 91.7 (N=77) vs 107.0 (N=77), 23.4 minutes, p<0.001.

CONCLUSIONS:

In this analysis, Ventralight™ ST with the use of Echo PS™ Positioning System has demonstrated reduced procedure time variability in the outpatient surgery setting for all mesh sizes. Reductions in procedure time and variability in procedure time may lead to greater operating efficiencies, start time efficiencies, avoided staffing costs and improved patient satisfaction which may ultimately result in lower healthcare resource use.