Abdominal Wall for Colorectal Surgeons Saturday, May 1, 1:30 - 3:00 pm CME Credit Hours: 1.5 Colon and rectal surgeons are expected to treat complex abdominal pathology such as colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulitis. The abdominal wall is the first thing surgeons encounter and can be difficult to navigate in patients with untreated hernias, previous hernia mesh repairs, or ostomies/fistula(e). This session aims to assist surgeons in developing a strategy for management of complex abdominal wall problems, including knowing when to go it alone versus seeking assistance from general and plastic surgery colleagues. Objectives At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: Identify how to safely enter the abdominal cavity after previous abdominal wall surgery Workup and manage most abdominal wall incisional hernias Recognize when an abdominal wall issue is out of their scope of practice Agenda Co-Directors: Christopher Buzas, DO, Danville, PA Kevin Kasten, MD, Charlotte, NC Social Media Moderator: Navin Changoor, MD, Orlando, FL 1:30 pm Introduction Christopher Buzas, DO, Danville, PA 1:35 pm “To Keep in or Take Out” Managing Mesh in an Infected Abdomen Hobart Harris, MD, MPH, San Francisco, CA 1:50 pm “How to Enter the Dragon” Re-operating on Previous Abdominal Catastrophes Angela Kuhnen, MD, Burlington, MA 2:05 pm “Don’t Infect That!” Management of Ventral Hernia with Colectomy/Ostomy Closure Eric Johnson, MD, Cleveland, OH 2:20 pm “Thinking (of getting) Outside the Abdomen” Bail-out Methods in Challenging Cases Todd Francone, MD, Boston, MA 2:35 pm Maneuvering Through the Minefield: Challenging Case Presentations and Panel Discussion Christopher Buzas, DO, Danville, PA Kevin Kasten, MD, Charlotte, NC 3:00 pm Adjourn