The treatment of inguinal hernia in the elderly: open technique or laparoscopic approach?

Well defined and shared quality standards characterize the ideal treatment of inguinal hernia: it should be the least traumatic as regards both the requested type of anaesthesia and the operative technique and the least expensive; it should have the least per-and post-operative morbidity. The chosen technique should be also the easiest to learn and to perform; and his positive results should be the most reproducible. While there are a lot of studies about the comparison between open and laparoscopic surgery, the number of the studies about the specific evaluation of the problem in the aged is very limited. Aim of the paper is to aid in evaluation of the problem in a group of patients, on the basis of the reports and on an initial departmental experience. In conclusion the laparoscopic repair is a complementary choice and not an alternative to the open surgery in the elderly patients.