Sex- and Gender-informed Approaches to Hernia Surgery

Hernia surgery is one of the most commonly performed areas of general and visceral surgery, yet clinical evidence and surgical practice has not historically approached patient outcomes or reported evidence that is gender specific. Anatomical variation, hormonal influences, pregnancy, abdominal wall changes, and pelvic floor function may affect hernia development, presentation, treatment selection, and postoperative recovery differently across patient populations. Important questions remain regarding differences in hernia distribution, chronic pain, recurrence, mesh-related complications, and quality of life. Women are underrepresented in hernia surgery training, leadership, clinical trials, and research, potentially influencing which outcomes are prioritized and how care is designed. Emerging studies support more systematic sex-disaggregated analyses, but evidence remains fragmented, inconsistently reported, and insufficient to guide fully personalized treatment. A more comprehensive investigation is needed to understand how patient diversity and workforce diversity jointly influence the quality, safety, and equity of hernia care.This Research Topic aims to consolidate current knowledge on the interactions between sex, gender, and hernia care across the patient journey and the surgical workforce. It will examine whether biological and sociocultural factors contribute to differences in hernia risk, clinical presentation, treatment decisions, complications, and long-term outcomes. It will also explore the representation and experiences of women in hernia surgery and research, including potential associations with mentorship, innovation, clinical priorities, and patient care. The Research Topic seeks to identify evidence gaps, promote rigorous sex- and gender-disaggregated research, assess the relevance of current guidelines, and advance shared decision-making and inclusive professional practices.To gather further insights into sex- and gender-informed hernia care and workforce diversity, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: • Sex-specific clinical presentation, anatomy, and risk factors in inguinal, femoral, umbilical, incisional, and other hernias;• Hernia development and repair during or after pregnancy, including abdominal wall changes and pelvic floor disorders;• Sex- and gender-related differences in chronic pain, recurrence, mesh-related complications, functional recovery, and quality of life;• Representation of women and other underrepresented groups in hernia clinical trials, registries, training, practice, leadership, and research;• Sex-disaggregated reporting, inclusive study design, and methodological standards for hernia research;• Gender-informed counseling, shared decision-making, and patient preferences regarding hernia treatment;• Evaluation of existing hernia guidelines and their applicability to diverse patient populations;• Workforce diversity, mentorship, sponsorship, career progression, innovation, and organizational culture in hernia surgery;• Intersections between sex, gender, age, race or ethnicity, socioeconomic circumstances, geography, and access to hernia care;• Strategies to promote equitable recruitment, inclusive collaboration, and improved representation in hernia research and clinical practice.We welcome, but are not limited to, Original Research, Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, Brief Research Reports, Perspective and Opinion articles, and Mini Reviews, with a clear educational or gender-related message.Topic Editor C. Horne reports consulting for Medtronic and AbbVie and an honorarium from Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD). K. E. Blake reports an honorarium from BD (October 2025). L. Beffa has none to declare. Topic editors: Charlotte Horne, Lucas Beffa Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85962/sex--and-gender-informed-approaches-to-hernia-surgery