for(bb in unique(tackref$tack_brand)){ ## for bb in list of tack brands (bb will have values: "Bard Davol"   "Medtronic"    "Ethicon"      "THD" "Via Surgical")

## get all possible names associated with each brand
    nms <- tackref[tackref$tack_brand %in% bb,]$tack_name
## for bb = "Bard Davol", nms will
##[1] "Bard Davol CapSure"   "Bard Davol OptiFix"   "Bard Davol Permafix"
## [4] "Bard Davol Permasorb" "Bard Davol Sorbafix"

## get variable names associated with brand bb
    vnms <- lapply(nms, FUN = function(x) var %|% "_" %|% gsub(" ", "_", tolower(x)) %|% "_ref") %>% unlist
## for bb = "Bard Davol", vnms  will be
[1] "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_capsure_ref"
[2] "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_optifix_ref"
[3] "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_permafix_ref"
[4] "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_permasorb_ref"
[5] "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_sorbafix_ref"

## so now I need to create a variable that does:
## if inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_capsure_ref == "Yes" | "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_optifix_ref" == "Yes" |
... | "inguinal_mesh_left_tack_name_bard_davol_sorbafix_ref" == "Yes" then "Yes" otherwise "No"
## but in the next loop iteration, bb will be "Medtronic" and different values for nms and vnams will occur, so I can't hardcode the above condition
  }