A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RATE OF COMPLICATIONS AND RESULTS OF REPAIR OF INGUINAL HERNIA BY DIFFERENT SURGICAL METHODS

Abstract

Background: Throughout the world inguinal hernia repair is frequently performed surgery in general surgical practice. The aim of this study was to compare rate of complications and results of repair of inguinal hernia by different surgical methods.
Material & Methods: This study was conducted in surgical department of three hospitals; Civil Hospital Naushahro Feroze, JPMC and Dow University Hospital, Ojha Campus, Karachi, from March 2013 to September 2014. In this study, 270 patients of uncomplicated inguinal hernia repair by different methods of repair in the period of one year with follow up from 6 months to two years were taken. According to indications and choice of surgeon different surgical methods were used to repair inguinal hernia and reviewed for best method in terms of recurrence and other complications.
Results: There were no major complications except superficial wound infection (Surgical site infection or SSI) and pain over inguinal region which is comparable to other studies. Recurrence was noted in three patients; two in operated by Stoppa’s method and one in TEPP. Post-operative morbidity in form of pain in inguinal region was noticed in 12 patients, out of which 10 were relieved after 6 months to one year; 2 patients were still having pain after 2 years follow-up. Pain was becoming less in severity with time. There were no incidences of mesh rejection or gross wound infection deeper than subcutaneous tissue of abdominal wall.
Conclusion: Different surgical methods used for repair of inguinal hernia have different aspects but all have comparable results but still Lichtenstein’s tension-free mesh plasty is gold standard method for inguinal hernia repair.