Risk and outcome of bowel resection in patients with incarcerated groin hernias: retrospective study

The goal of this retrospective study was to evaluate factors that increase the risk of bowel necrosis and document the outcome of bowel resection in patients with strangulated hernias. We identified 102 patients (60 men, 42 women) who underwent surgical treatment for an incarcerated hernia at the Kartal Education and Research Hospital Emergency Unit between April 1997 and April 2001. Patients in group 1 required intestinal resection (n = 16), and patients in group 2 did not (n = 86). The median age of the patients was 53 years (range 3-96). Demographic and surgical data were obtained from the patients' charts and compared between the two groups. Women required bowel resections more often than men (p < 0.05). Patients older than 65 years and those with femoral or epigastric hernias required resection more often than patients younger than 65 years and those with inguinal, umbilical, or incisional hernias (p < 0.05 for all). Group 1 patients had a longer hospitalization and experienced more overall complications and wound infections than group 2 (p < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, incarcerated hernias are more common in men, but intestinal resection is required more often in women. The risk of intestinal resection is higher for patients with femoral hernias and those older than 65 years. Patients who undergo intestinal resection have a higher overall complication rate related to wound infections but not an increased risk of other complications or mortality.