Organization and certification of abdominal wall surgery

Abdominal wall surgery has become very complex over the last years due to the introduction of a variety of materials and surgical techniques. The surgeon is given the opportunity to choose the most appropriate technology for the individual patient, according to a "tailored surgery" approach, but a strong commitment and extensive experience are requested, highlighting the need for specialized hernia centers. The diffusion of certification processes, already started in Germany, is still under development in the majority of European countries, where we can highlight also differences in the organization of abdominal wall surgery. This chapter gives an overview about the available processes for certification of hernia centers and gives a description of the organization of hernia surgery in three European countries: Spain, Poland and Italy.