[Inguinal and femoral hernia repair in Norway 1990-2003]

The purpose of this study was to chart changes in surgical treatment of inguinal or femoral hernia in Norway from 1990-91 to 1999-2003.

Data were compiled from the Norwegian Patient Registry based on procedure coding for inguinal and femoral hernia repair.

The annual number of femoral hernia repair procedures was constant throughout the study period. From 1990-91 to 2003, the mean age dropped from 66 for both sexes to 63 among men and 62 among women. The female-to-male ratio was constant at 2/1. Emergency admittances went down from 56% to 43% and mean hospitalisation was down from five to four days. The use of mesh repairs increased from 3% (1990-91) to 37% (2003). Incidence rates for inguinal hernia repair increased throughout the period, from 1.8 to 2.3 per 10,000 women and from 20.6 to 32.1 per 10,000 men. Mean age was as down from 63 (both sexes) to 59 among men and 57 among women. The female-to-male ratio remained constant at 1/12. Emergency admittances dropped from 13% to 6%. Mean days of hospitalisation fell from 4 in 1990-91 to 1 in 2003. Two out of three inguinal hernia repairs were done ambulatory in the last year of the study period. The use of mesh repairs increased from 1% in 1990-91 to 78% in 2003. Laparoscopic procedures were rarely used (2% in 2003).

In 2003, the majority of inguinal hernia repairs were performed as day surgery with open mesh techniques, in line with European guidelines.