Principal Investigators: Ezra N. Teitelbaum, MD, MEd, Assistant Professor of Surgery (Gastrointestinal), Northwestern Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Eric S. Hungness, MD, S. David Stulberg, MD, Professor of Advanced Surgical Education, Professor of Surgery (Gastrointestinal) and Medical Education, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Hiatal hernias are a digestive disorder that has plagued patients for decades, developing when the stomach abnormally protrudes into the chest through a hole in the diaphragm. These hernias often cause heartburn, swallowing problems, vomiting, and sometimes worse. While laparoscopic hiatal hernia surgery is the gold standard for stitching closed the opening to fix hiatal hernias, this approach has a historically dismal hernia recurrence rate of up to 50%. This is due, in part, to the only suture material currently available for hernia repair that can often inadvertently pull through the tissue when under tension. Used for other types of hernias, permanent mesh reinforcement is the only alternative and cannot be used for hiatal hernias due to the risk of mesh erosion into the esophagus. Supported by this year’s DHF grant, Dr. Ezra Teitelbaum’s team plans to investigate the potential of new mesh sutures (Duramesh™) invented by Northwestern University researchers and just now available at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The novel hybrid makeup of Duramesh™ offers the complementary advantages of both new, flexible mesh and traditional, strong suture materials. This research offers great promise for reducing hernia recurrence after repair to improve patient results and prevent the need for risky redo operations and/or the return of distressing, destructive digestive...
Principal Investigator: Mehul V. Rahul, MD; Co-Principal Investigator: Salva N. Balbale, MS, Doctoral Candidate Enhanced Recovery Protocols (ERPs) are evidence-based interventions that utilize perioperative education and counseling provided through surgery and recovery to safe discharge. ERPs have been found to decrease hospital length of stay, in-hospital costs, and complications among a variety of adult surgical populations, including those undergoing abdominal and gastrointestinal tract surgery. As many as 17 percent of the 70,000 children with IBD in the United States need surgery within five years of diagnosis to manage their disease. ERPs offer an opportunity to enhance the care of these young patients, yet these strategies are currently lagging in the pediatric setting. This study will lay the groundwork and provide a baseline assessment of ERPs in 15 pediatric surgical practice sites across the country. The investigators will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of ERPs on outcomes, and use their findings in the development of an implementation...
Principal Investigator: Eric S. Hungness, MD Muscular weakness at the junction of the diaphragm and esophagus (hiatal hernia) is a common problem that may result in heartburn, difficulty swallowing, or anemia. Current surgical repair techniques have an unacceptably high hernia recurrence rate. A novel surgical material was developed at Northwestern University and has demonstrated promising results in animal and human studies. This project will investigate the efficacy of an innovative mesh suture in hiatal hernia repair, as compared to the current gold standard material. The principle outcome of interest will be measured by a non-invasive x-ray examination 6 months following surgery. The hope is that patients undergoing repair with the novel material will have...
