[The plug system and laparoscopic hernioplasty in recurrent inguinal hernia]

A total of 1511 patients were operated on at the 1st Department of Surgery Charles University in Prague during 1996 through 2000. Of this number, 81.3% underwent surgery for primary and 18.7% for recurrent inguinal hernia. Among the patients with recurrences, 81% had the first, 15% patients the second, and 4% at least the third episode of recurrent hernia. A total of 604 patients were operated on during 1999-2000, when a plug system (Bard Mesh Perfix Plug) was introduced into surgery protocols. Of this number, 113 patients had a recurrent hernia with an identical ratio of recurrences. The following plastic surgery interventions were carried out during the latter period: McVay-Lotheissen (54.2%), TAPP (26.5%), PHS (13.2%), Plug (3.3%), and Lichtenstein (2.6%). The following interventions were used when operating recurrences: McVay-Lotheissen (20.3%), TAPP (31%), PHS (21.2%), Plug (16.8%), and Lichtenstein (9.7%). During the 1-24-month follow-up period, recurrences occurred 1x after the TAPP procedure, 1x after McVay-Lotheissen, and 1x after the Lichtenstein procedure (95% and 88% patients who underwent plug and Lichtenstein procedures, respectively, were included in the follow-up). Comparison of plug vs. TAPP in patients with recurrent hernia (Plug/TAPP): mean age of patients: 62/45 years, length of operation: 66/48 minutes, overall post-operative morbidity: 9.4%/3.6%, hospitalization: 4.3/1.8 days, return to the working process 28 days (range 9-38 days) vs. 7.2 days (range 2-15 days). Both procedures can be considered safe and reliable interventions for treatment of recurrent inguinal hernia. They meet the requirements for elastic strength (more the plug procedure), closure, and bridging of defects even in several layers. The plug system can be implanted under local anaesthesia, it is capable of bridging large defects in a firm and elastic manner, and appears to be a very suitable solution for large defects in patients with advanced biological age. In these indications, the plug system brings many benefits but also the risk of more open access and greater "quantity" of materials. TAPP appears to be more suitable in younger patients with recurrences and large defects. We evaluate favourably in particular, all aspects of the postoperative period. An experienced team of surgeons is needed to achieve good results in both procedures.