Open and laparoscopic inguinal mesh repair: Hospital stay and Complications

Abstract

Conservative treatment means living with the hernia, making lifestyle changes and watching for changes to the hernia. Lifestyle changes may include giving up smoking and avoiding heavy lifting, or wearing a special belt called a 'truss'. Hernia control has been reported in about 30% of patients. Complications associated with the use of a truss include testicular atrophy, ilioinguinal or femoral neuritis, and hernia incarceration. Patients with clinical evidence of inguinal hernia were admitted and were subjected to full history and examination, routine investigations like complete blood count, blood sugar level, serum creatinine, chest X-ray, ECG etc. Additional investigations like abdominal ultrasonography, CT scan of abdomen were done in cases with equivocal findings and suspected of other pathologies. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined and strictly adhered to in selecting the cases to be included in the study. Among the 30 cases that underwent open mesh repair, 3 cases required urethral catheterization for urinary retention, 3 cases suffered chronic pain, 2 cases had wound related complications and 1 had wound infection.