[Hernia repair with prolene mesh according to the Lichtenstein technique. Results of 692 cases]

Inguinal hernia repair with prolene mesh according to Lichtenstein "tension free" technique has gained great acceptance worldwide, showing efficacy to consolidate the posterior wall of the inguinal canal and to reduce recurrence risk because of tension on suture lines and postoperative pain. Personal experience of 692 hernias treated with this technique is reported.

From January 1989 to December 1997, 692 patients were treated according to Lichtenstein at the General Surgery Department of the San Gerardo Hospital. Mean age was 60 years (range 18-88) with a male: female ratio of 13:1. Surgery was performed under local anesthesia in 185 cases, under epidural anesthesia in 317 and under general anesthesia in 190. Hernia was primitive in 647 cases (411 obliquo-external and 236 direct), while in 45 patients it was a recurrent hernia. In this series, 619 patients had monolateral inguinal hernia, while 73 had a bilateral one. In 40 cases hernia was incarcerated and in 8 strangulated.

Mean hospital stay was 2.3 days (range 1-8). Eleven (1.6%) early complications, were observed, with one periprosthetic infection which resolved after patch removal, 3 hematomas, 2 seromas and 2 wound infections. Furthermore, there were 32 (4.6%) late complications with only one recurrence (0.14%) in this series and 25 cases of persistent nerve irritation.

The results obtained with Lichtenstein "tension free" repairs of inguinal hernias confirmed this technique as easy to perform, also under local anesthesia, and associated with low rates of complications and without recurrences.