Open AccessHigh recurrence rate 12 years after primary inguinal hernia repair
Author(s) -
Melis Paris,
van der Drift Danny G. F.,
Sybrandy Rienk,
Go Peter M. N. Y. H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-9271
pISSN - 1102-4151
DOI - 10.1080/110241500750009168
Subject(s) - medicine , inguinal hernia , inguinal ligament , surgery , asymptomatic , hernia , ligament , hernia repair , retrospective cohort study , general surgery
Objective: To find out the long term recurrence rate after repair of the inguinal ligament (Griffith) for inguinal hernia in one hospital. Design: Retrospective study. Settings: Teaching hospital, The Netherlands. Subjects and intervention: All patients who had had a Griffith repair for a primary inguinal hernia in 1985 were re‐examined after at least 12 years by an independent examiner. Results: Of the 102 patients included in the study, 45 patients had died and 17 could not be traced. Of the remaining 40 patients (45 hernias), 10 (22%) had developed recurrences. In 4 patients the asymptomatic hernia was discovered by the investigator. 11 further patients had developed a hernia on the opposite site resulting in a total of 16 patients (40%) with bilateral hernias. Conclusions: The long term recurrence rate of an inguinal hernia by reconstruction of the inguinal ligament is high and even higher when assessed by physical examination. The high recurrence rate and frequent bilateral recurrence might favour repairs with mesh reinforcement. Copyright © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.