March 27 – 28, 2026
Barcelona, Spain
Welcome to the International Hernia Symposium 2026, where leading global experts come together with a shared vision: to advance the future of hernia care through science, innovation, and clinical excellence.
This symposium explores how evidence‑based technology and modern surgical strategies are transforming hernia management, enhancing surgical precision, improving decision‑making, and ultimately delivering better patient outcomes. Through a combination of scientific insight and practical experience, the programme highlights how today’s innovations are shaping tomorrow’s standards of care.
Across six focused sessions, moderated by six internationally recognised experts and featuring more than 30 speakers, the symposium covers the full spectrum of hernia surgery. Topics span from prevention and primary repair to complex abdominal wall reconstruction (CAWR) and hiatal hernia repair, integrating advanced techniques with best‑practice treatment pathways.
With more than 400 in‑person participants and an even wider audience joining through the Hernia U online educational platform, the International Hernia Symposium 2026 provides a dynamic environment for sharing knowledge, engaging in clinical discussions, and supporting ongoing professional development.
Join us online for this transformative educational experience and be part of BD’s ongoing commitment to advancing the world of health – through science, collaboration, and innovation in hernia care.
MODERATORS
Antonino Spinelli
Salvador Morales-Conde
Maciej Śmietański
Cesare Stabilini
Giampaolo Formisano
Fernando Ferreira
|
Agenda Please note: All times shown are local to Barcelona, Spain |
|
Day 1 Friday 27th March, 2026 |
| Time | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 12:55 – 13:00 | Welcome and introduction | Eduardo Perez and Daniela Tocci |
| 13:00 – 13:05 | BD surgery innovation | Rian Seger |
| 13:05 – 13:30 | P4HB science interview talk | Amit Badhwar and Salvador Morales-Conde |
#PREVENTION
| Time | Moderator: Antonino Spinelli | |
|---|---|---|
| 13:30 – 13:45 | Prevention of SSIH during ileostomy closure: is it cost-effective? | Umberto Bracale |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | Challenges with colostomy | Antonino Spinelli |
| 14:00 – 14:15 | Preventing incisional hernia in liver transplant: a critical challenge | Alessandro Anselmo |
| 14:15 – 14:30 | Prevention frontiers: emerging challenges and open questions | René Fortelny |
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Updates from scientific societies and international congresses | Antonino Spinelli, Cesare Stabilini, Salvador Morales-Conde, Michel Adamina |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | Panel discussion – Q&A | All |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee break | |
|
Agenda Please note: All times shown are local to Barcelona, Spain |
|
Day 1 Friday 27th March, 2026 |
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 12:55 – 13:00 |
Welcome and introduction – Eduardo Perez and Daniela Tocci |
| 13:00 – 13:05 |
BD surgery innovation – Rian Seger |
| 13:05 – 13:30 |
P4HB Science Interview Talk – Amit Badhwar and Salvador Morales-Conde |
#PREVENTION
| Time | Moderator: Antonino Spinelli |
|---|---|
| 13:30 – 13:45 |
Prevention of SSIH during ileostomy closure: is it cost-effective? – Umberto Bracale |
| 13:45 – 14:00 |
Challenges with colostomy – Antonino Spinelli |
| 14:00 – 14:15 |
Preventing incisional hernia in liver transplant: a critical challenge – Alessandro Anselmo |
| 14:15 – 14:30 |
Prevention frontiers: emerging challenges and open questions – René Fortelny |
| 14:30 – 14:45 |
Updates from scientific societies and international congresses – Antonino Spinelli, Cesare Stabilini, Salvador Morales-Conde, Michel Adamina |
| 14:45 – 15:00 |
Panel discussion – Q&A – All |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee break |
#HIATAL
| Time | Moderator: Salvador Morales-Conde | |
|---|---|---|
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Delphi studies and surgical treatment of hiatal hernia | Christian Gutschow |
| 15:45 – 16:00 | To mesh or not to mesh – pre and intraoperative parameters | Salvador Morales-Conde |
| 16:00 – 16:15 | Hiatal in emergency setting | Tania Triantafyllou |
| 16:15 – 16:30 | Hiatal Hernia repair in Bariatric procedures | Catalin Copaescu |
| 16:30 – 16:45 | QoL after hiatal repair | Sebastian Schoppmann |
| 16:45 – 17:00 | Panel discussion – Q&A | All |
#HIATAL
| Time | Moderator: Salvador Morales-Conde |
|---|---|
| 15:30 – 15:45 |
Delphi studies and surgical treatment of hiatal hernia – Christian Gutschow |
| 15:45 – 16:00 |
To mesh or not to mesh – pre and intraoperative parameters – Salvador Morales-Conde |
| 16:00 – 16:15 |
Hiatal in emergency setting – Tania Triantafyllou |
| 16:15 – 16:30 |
Hiatal Hernia repair in Bariatric procedures – Catalin Copaescu |
| 16:30 – 16:45 |
QoL after hiatal repair – Sebastian Schoppmann |
| 16:45 – 17:00 |
Panel discussion – Q&A – All |
#INGUINAL
| Time | Moderator: Maciej Śmietański | |
|---|---|---|
| 17:00 – 17:15 | The science behind mesh selection: what really counts | Maciej Śmietański |
| 17:15 – 17:30 | Unlocking the potential of robotics for inguinal hernia repair with 3DMax™ MID anatomical mesh | Rafael Villalobos |
| 17:30 – 17:45 | Innovation driving the future of inguinal hernia repair | Ibrahim Al Babtain |
| 17:45 – 18:00 | Panel discussion – Q&A | All |
#INGUINAL
| Time | Moderator: Maciej Śmietański |
|---|---|
| 17:00 – 17:15 |
The science behind mesh selection: what really counts – Maciej Śmietański |
| 17:15 – 17:30 |
Unlocking the potential of robotics for inguinal hernia repair with 3DMax™ MID anatomical mesh – Rafael Villalobos |
| 17:30 – 17:45 |
Innovation driving the future of inguinal hernia repair – Ibrahim Al Babtain |
| 17:45 – 18:00 |
Panel discussion – Q&A – All |
|
Day Two Saturday 28th March, 2026 |
| Time | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 08:25 – 08:30 | Introduction | Daniela Tocci |
| 08:30 – 08:45 | Synthetic Science Talk | Amit Badhwar |
#VENTRAL
| Time | Moderator: Cesare Stabilini | |
|---|---|---|
| 08:45 – 09:00 | Umbilical hernia testimonial | Maciej Śmietański |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Current best practices in umbilical hernia repair and preperitoneal mesh techniques | Elisa Mäkäräinen |
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Understanding the challenges of umbilical and ventral hernias in women | Sandra Widjaja Kaufmann |
| 09:30 – 09:35 | Survey | Cesare Stabilini |
| 09:35 – 09:55 | Discussion – latest trends for ventral hernia repair: eTEP (lap and robotic) vs. IPOM+ | Tim Tollens and Cesare Stabilini |
| 09:55 – 10:10 | Panel discussion – Q&A | All |
| 10:10 – 10:45 | Coffee break | |
|
Day Two Saturday 28th March, 2026 |
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 08:25 – 08:30 |
Introduction – Daniela Tocci |
| 08:30 – 08:45 |
Synthetic Science Talk – Amit Badhwar |
#VENTRAL
| Time | Moderator: Cesare Stabilini |
|---|---|
| 08:45 – 09:00 |
Umbilical hernia testimonial – Maciej Śmietański |
| 09:00 – 09:15 |
Current best practices in umbilical hernia repair and preperitoneal mesh techniques – Elisa Mäkäräinen |
| 09:15 – 09:30 |
Understanding the challenges of umbilical and ventral hernias in women – Sandra Widjaja Kaufmann |
| 09:30 – 09:35 |
Survey – Cesare Stabilini |
| 09:35 – 09:55 |
Discussion – latest trends for ventral hernia repair: eTEP (lap and robotic) vs. IPOM+ – Tim Tollens and Cesare Stabilini |
| 09:55 – 10:10 | Panel discussion – Q&A – All |
| 10:10 – 10:45 | Coffee break |
#CAWR
| Time | Moderator: Giampaolo Formisano | |
|---|---|---|
| 10:45 – 11:00 | Emergency setting in CAWR | Jaana Vironen |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Robotic TAR | Giampaolo Formisano |
| 11:15 – 11:30 | Poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB, Phasix™) mesh in complex incisional ventral hernia repair: impact on hospital budgets | Benedict Stanberry |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Data generation and world wide experience | Mike Scott |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Different approaches and future trends in robotic abdominal wall surgery | Giampaolo Formisano |
| 12:00 – 12:15 | Panel discussion – Q&A | All |
#CAWR
| Time | Moderator: Giampaolo Formisano |
|---|---|
| 10:45 – 11:00 |
Emergency setting in CAWR – Jaana Vironen |
| 11:00 – 11:15 |
Robotic TAR – Giampaolo Formisano |
| 11:15 – 11:30 |
Poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB, Phasix™) mesh in complex incisional ventral hernia repair: impact on hospital budgets – Benedict Stanberry |
| 11:30 – 11:45 |
Data generation and world wide experience – Mike Scott |
| 11:45 – 12:00 |
Different approaches and future trends in robotic abdominal wall surgery – Giampaolo Formisano |
| 12:00 – 12:15 |
Panel discussion – Q&A – All |
#DIASTASIS RECTI
| Time | Moderator: Fernando Ferreira | |
|---|---|---|
| 12:15 – 12:30 | Clinical and functional outcomes after diastasis recti repair: a multicenter prospective cohort study | Alessandro Carrara |
| 12:30 – 12:45 | High experience of Phasix™ in diastasis recti using REPA (preaponeurotic endoscopic repair) | Federico Del Castillo |
| 12:45 – 13:00 | Retromuscular approach with P4HB | Lisa-Marie Schupp |
| 13:00 – 13:15 | Success of diastasis recti with Phasix™ in women | Fernando Ferreira |
| 13:15 – 13:30 | HYBRID discussion with patient story | All |
| 13:30 – 13:45 | Panel discussion – Q&A | All |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | #IHS26 wrap-up and closing | |
#DIASTASIS RECTI
| Time | Moderator: Fernando Ferreira |
|---|---|
| 12:15 – 12:30 |
Clinical and functional outcomes after diastasis recti repair: a multicenter prospective cohort study – Alessandro Carrara |
| 12:30 – 12:45 |
High experience of Phasix™ in diastasis recti using REPA (preaponeurotic endoscopic repair) – Federico Del Castillo |
| 12:45 – 13:00 |
Retromuscular approach with P4HB – Lisa-Marie Schupp |
| 13:00 – 13:15 |
Success of diastasis recti with Phasix™ in women – Fernando Ferreira |
| 13:15 – 13:30 |
HYBRID discussion with patient story – All Speakers |
| 13:30 – 13:45 |
Panel discussion – Q&A – All |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | #IHS26 wrap-up and closing |
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