[Repair of recurrent inguinal hernia. Tactics, technic and results]

Based on 301 surgical repairs of recurrent groin hernias perioperative management and recommended techniques for preparation and repair of various kinds of recurrent hernias are presented. Follow-up examinations could be performed on 175 patients, representing 88.8% of 197 patients who underwent surgery for recurrent hernias. Shouldice's technique for hernia repair proved to be the treatment of choice for recurrent groin hernias with a recurrence rate of 2.9% (5/175). Early postoperative complications occurred up to the 14th day following surgery. Frequently they could not be documented due to an average postoperative hospitalization period of 6.2 days only. The rates of postoperative complications were 8.1% prior dismission and 12.6% within two weeks after the operation respectively.