[Recurrent groin hernia: a cognitive survey in Piedmont]

The aim of this study was to analyze, using a cognitive survey, how recurrent groin hernia are treated in our region by surgical centres. A form was sent to 49 surgical centres in our region, considering the period 2002 -first six months of 2004, asking the number of primitive hernias treated, surgical technique, number of recurrent hernias treated, surgical technique, kind of anaesthesia and types of complications. We sent 49 forms, 41 (83.7%) were given back. During the considered period, 18 580 primitive hernias and 1102 recurrent (5.6% of all repair) were treated. The greatest part of it was performed with an open mesh technique tension free (77% of primitive hernias, and 62% of recurrent ones). Laparoscopic repair was performed in 0.2% of primitive hernias and 3.2% of recurrent ones. The operations were carried out mainly in spinal anaesthesia (722, 65.5%). Recurrence occurred in 34 cases (3.1%). In our region inguinal hernia repair both for primitive and recurrent groin hernia has been performed mainly by an open mesh technique, tension free and sutureless and, in greatest part, in spinal anaesthesia. Laparoscopic repair has not been used very much.