Abstract

ZAGA MINIAN, Isaac; GUZMAN VALDIVIA, Gilberto; ROMERO ARREDONDO, Eric  and  MIRANDA, Alejandra. Assessment: Results at 16 years of the two most common techniques used in open inguinal hernioplasty. Cir. gen [online]. 2011, vol.33, n.2, pp.79-85. ISSN 1405-0099.

Objective: To evaluate the results obtained during 16 years in patients subjected to open hernia repair with the two most common techniques: Lichtenstein and Mesh-Plug. Setting: Second health care level hospital. Design: Observational, retrospective, descriptive, comparative study. Statistical analysis: Student's t and square chi tests. Material and methods: We assessed 1,293 Lichtenstein and 5,889 Mesh-Plug procedures, performed from July 1993 to June 2002, followed for an average of 132 months. Both procedures were standardized according to the original techniques and performed by general surgeons, not specializing in hernia. Assessed variables were: surgical time, hospital stay, savings in bed-days, working incapacity days, recurrences, morbidity, and chronic pain. Results: The mean of surgical time for the Lichtenstein procedures was of 59 min, and 25 min for the Mesh-Plug, Length of in-hospital stay with Lichtenstein was 7.5 h versus 3.5 h with the Mesh-Plug. Savings in bed-days amounted to 26,573 and 201,098 days of working incapacity days. Morbidity of 1.04%. Recurrence of 0.59%, and nine patients coursed with chronic inguinodynia and required retrieval of the prosthetic material. Conclusions: Both procedures are safe and have few noxious consequences. The mesh plug technique was faster in 50%, the shorter in-hospital stay favored substantial savings in working incapacity and bed days.

Keywords : Inguinal hernia; Lichtenstein; Mesh-Plug.