More Than 30 Years of Hernia Surgery: From René Stoppa to the MOPP Technique

A Career Dedicated to Abdominal Wall Surgery

For more than three decades, my clinical practice has been accompanied by scientific and teaching activities devoted to inguinal, umbilical and ventral hernia surgery.

This journey began in Amiens under Professor René Stoppa, whose teaching profoundly influenced my understanding of preperitoneal surgery. It continued through the development and evaluation of techniques designed to make this surgery less invasive, simpler and more reproducible.

Over the years, I have presented this work at numerous congresses in France and internationally. More than 50 scientific communications, invited lectures and video presentations have been devoted to hernia surgery and preperitoneal techniques at meetings throughout Europe, Asia and the United States.

From René Stoppa to Modern Preperitoneal Surgery

Marc Soler with René Stoppa, Franz Ugahary and Parviz K. Amid, pioneers of modern hernia surgery and preperitoneal repair

My surgical training with Professor René Stoppa in Amiens was a decisive influence. His work on preperitoneal prosthetic reinforcement profoundly changed hernia surgery and remains one of the historical foundations of modern preperitoneal techniques.

Following these principles, I became particularly interested in approaches that preserve the anatomical and prosthetic concepts of preperitoneal surgery while reducing the extent of the surgical access.

The technique described by Franz Ugahary represented an important step in this evolution. I contributed to its introduction and dissemination in France through publications, scientific presentations and surgical demonstrations. This experience progressively led me to pursue the development of a minimally invasive open preperitoneal approach.

From Ugahary’s Approach to the Development of MOPP

This work led to the development of the Minimal Open Preperitoneal (MOPP) technique, an approach designed for the treatment of groin hernias through minimally invasive open preperitoneal access.

The aim is to combine the principles of preperitoneal repair with a limited surgical approach, without systematic use of laparoscopy.

The technique and its evolution have been described in successive publications, including an initial description of the approach in 2017 and a more detailed publication in 2024 addressing the MOPP technique, its indications and results.

More recently, data from the French Club Hernie registry have enabled further comparative evaluation of different hernia repair approaches. This work has included comparisons between open preperitoneal techniques, laparoscopic approaches and Lichtenstein repair, as well as the role of these techniques in specific situations such as inguinoscrotal hernias.

International Scientific Activity in Hernia Surgery

Alongside publications, teaching and discussion of these techniques have remained an important part of my professional activity. For many years, I have regularly participated in international meetings dedicated to hernia and abdominal wall surgery, particularly within the European Hernia Society (EHS) and the Asia Pacific Hernia Society (APHS).

These international activities have included oral communications, invited lectures, video presentations, moderations, workshops and surgical demonstrations.

They have taken me to numerous congresses throughout Europe and Asia, including South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines.

Overall, this international activity now represents more than 50 scientific communications and presentations, mainly devoted to inguinal, umbilical and ventral hernia surgery and preperitoneal techniques.

A particularly symbolic moment in this journey occurred at the APHS Congress in Tokyo in 2016, where I received the Stoppa Prize – Best Video for a presentation on minimally invasive open treatment of umbilical hernia.

This award has a special meaning for me because it bears the name of Professor René Stoppa, who was my teacher and mentor in Amiens.

An Ongoing Scientific Journey

This activity continues today through clinical practice, publications, collaborative studies and registries, international teaching, and the evaluation of new strategies in abdominal wall surgery.

The underlying objective remains the same: to preserve the anatomical and prosthetic principles of preperitoneal surgery while developing techniques that are less invasive, reproducible and adapted to each patient.

I also contribute to the scientific evaluation of research in the field as a reviewer for several international journals, including Hernia and the Journal of Abdominal Wall Surgery (JAWS).

My scientific career, publications, research and main professional activities are now gathered and regularly updated on my ORCID profile.