Abdominal wall reconstruction is a term sometimes used to describe “hernia repair” or “hernia surgery.” AWR is a way of considering the abdominal wall, and the hernia in it, as a complete system. Rather than just “patching the hole,” AWR considers the way the entire group of muscles in the abdominal wall work together with repairs designed to take advantage of the natural mechanics and physics of the abdominal wall with the goal of restoring the normal functionality of the abdominal wall while minimizing the risk of hernia recurrence.