Ambulatory herniorrhaphy under local anesthesia in a community hospital

Four hundred groin hernias were repaired under local anesthesia over a 5 1/2 year period. Eighty-two percent of the patients were discharged on the same day of operation and 12 percent within 24 hours. In 60 percent of these patients, knitted polypropylene mesh (Marlex) was used to reinforce the inguinal floor. There were two infections in this series and other postoperative complications were minimal. Most of the patients returned to their full-time occupations in 4 to 6 weeks. The saving in hospital beds and cost was profound. The follow-up results, although not 100 percent complete, are very encouraging and suggest that this method can be appropriately and safely used by surgeons working in community hospitals.