May 31st, 2004 the International Endo Hernia Society (IEHS) was founded in Kalithea, Greece. The founding members chose Prof. R. Bittner to be the first president and Prof. Köckerling to be the first secretary of this new society. The IEHS was created not like a usual society with “bylaws”, membership fees, etc, but as an international network of laparoscopic surgeons highly interested in hernia surgery.

Why was it necessary to build up such a network? Experience of last 10-15 years shows that laparoscopic hernia surgery is not sufficiently represented in the traditional hernia societies. These societies are quite often dominated by colleagues who are specialized in ambulatory hernia surgery under local anesthesia. Most of them are not familiar with laparoscopy and often believe that laparoscopic hernia surgery is technically too demanding for the surgeon, too expensive for the hospital, and too dangerous for the patient.

Also in the established international laparoscopic societies (EAES/SAGES) leading heads follow laparoscopic hernia surgery with mistrust. There are many reasons for that and it cannot be discussed thoroughly at this place. In general it seems to us that for instance it is not understandable to approve laparoscopic colon resections and on the other side be against laparoscopic hernia operations, because of the assumed high risk involved. Randomized controlled trials and Metaanalyses, which prove the advantages of the laparoscopic approach esp. regarding frequency and intensity of chronic pain, are underestimated by them, although actually in the 2009 published Guidelines of the European Hernia Society laparoscopic hernia repair is recommended as first choice procedure in bilateral and in recurrence after previous open repair. Furthermore, an important argument for promotion of laparoscopic hernia repair is that it involves all technical elements which are necessary to train in order to become a good laparoscopic surgeon. With the rejection of the laparoscopic technique the opportunity is lost to further develop on a daily basis ones laparoscopic skills. In our opinion and according to our experience laparoscopic hernia repair can play (together with cholecystectomy) the same role in the training program like open hernia surgery is doing in conventional surgery.