A COMPARISON OF MESH METHOD AND CONVENTIONAL METHOD IN THE TREATMENT OF INGUINAL HERNIA IN ADULTS

• Published in: Nihon Rinsho Geka Gakkai Zasshi (Journal of Japan Surgical Association) Vol. 64; no. 4; pp. 811 - 815
• Main Authors: IMAZU, Hiroki, OCHIAI, Masahiro, SAKURAI, Yoichi, MATSUBARA, Toshiki, HASEGAWA, Shigeru, NAKAMURA, Koji, MORISHITA, Hiroshi, NAKAMURA, Yasuko, NOZOE, Yasutomo, TONOMURA, Shuhei, YOSHIDA, Ikuo, SAKAI, Wakana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Surgical Association 2003
• ISSN: 1345-2843; 1882-5133
• DOI: 10.3919/jjsa.64.811

In order to clarify whether the Mesh method truly provides the simplicity of operation and a low recurrence rate, we made a comparison of the Mesh method and conventional method in the treatment of inguinal hernia in adults. Subjects were 579 lesions of 537 cases of inguinal hernia treated in the hospital and the associated hospitals from May 1984 to July 2002. The conventional method was employed in 325 lesions of 303 cases, and the Mesh method in 253 lesions of 233 cases. There was no significant difference in operating time between the both groups, but duration of ailing time of postoperative pain and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the Mesh method group (P<0.05). The postoperative recurrence rate was 9.2% in the conventional method group, versus 1.7% in the Mesh method group, with a significant difference (P<0.05). The mean time from operation to recurrence was 7.6 years in the conventional method group, versus as short as 10.8 months in the Mesh method group (P<0.01), in which all recurrences occurred within 2 years after the operation. The most common mode of postoperative recurrence was internal inguinal hernia in 67.9%, followed by external inguinal hernia in 25% and femoral hernia in 7.1% in the conventional method group; whilst recurrence of femoral hernia was noted in two cases, internal hernia in one, and external hernia in one, four recurrent cases in all, in the Mesh method group. Contralateral hernia occurred in 10 cases (3.3%) after a mean of 6.4 years following the conventional method, but in two cases (0.9%) after a mean of 10 months following the Mesh method.