The first National Congress of ISHAWS on Abdominal Wall and Complex Abdominal Surgery: Innovation & New Trends in Abdominal Wall Surgery took place at the beautiful Hotel Excelsior on the Naples seafront. The event gathered 288 registered participants and an international faculty, featuring many of the world’s leading surgeons who have significantly contributed to advancements in abdominal wall surgery in recent years.

This was one of the last congresses to take place in a traditional in-person format in Italy and worldwide before the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tremendous success of the congress highlighted the growing interest in abdominal wall surgery, which is increasingly featured in multispecialty conferences, where our sessions are among the most attended.

The congress presented high-level scientific content, covering various topics such as ERAS protocols, economic aspects, diastasis repair techniques, robotics, complex abdominal cases, chronic pain, parastomal hernias, and prevention strategies.

Among the Italian participants were nearly all surgeons specializing in abdominal wall surgery, as well as experts from other disciplines, such as colorectal and hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery, who are also involved in reconstructive techniques for abdominal wall repair due to the overlap of surgical issues and their postoperative implications.

The congress also hosted some of the world’s most renowned international surgeons, including Yuri Novitsky, Miguel Ángel García Ureña, Pasquale Giordano, Praminthra Chitsabesan, Dieter Berger, and Frederik Berrevoet. In addition, the presidents of Italy’s leading surgical scientific societies — Paolo De Paolis (SIC), Pierluigi Marini (ACOI), and Ferdinando Agresta (SICE) — were present. The event also featured Dr. Marcella Marletta, Director General of the Italian Ministry of Health.

This success is one I wish to share with the entire ISHAWS Board and with all of you—surgeons who are always eager to learn about new techniques and technologies to enhance our daily surgical practice, always striving for better outcomes for our patients.

Two Under-40 Awards were presented for Best Video and Best Clinical Research Work, judged by two dedicated commissions. The winners received full sponsorship (registration, travel, and accommodation) to attend the next EHS Congress, initially scheduled for Barcelona 2020 (which was later canceled due to the pandemic) and rescheduled for Copenhagen 2021.

The enthusiastic feedback and positive comments regarding the congress’s scientific content and organizational aspects give us hope that we can soon plan more successful events like this, as soon as health and logistical conditions return to normal.

The President

Diego Cuccurullo