Invagination of the hernial sac stump. Technique for repair of inguinal hernia

A technique for repair of indirect inguinal hernia is presented. The hernial sac stump is invaginated in an attempt to secure high ligation of the sac and obliterate any residual peritoneal diverticulum. Four hundred forty-two patients were operated on. The technique consists essentially of division of the internal spermatic fascial tube at the neck as well as embedding of the sac stump by purse-string sutures in a narrow neck of Lembert sutures in a wide neck. The defect in the fascia transversalis is closed over the stump. Three hundred eighty-one patients were followed up 2 to 15 years, with a recurrence rate of 1.6 percent. The concept that in indirect hernia the problem involves the sac rather than the defect is put forward. Recurrence results essentially from the existence of a handmade sac rather than an improperly repaired defect. The role of invagination of the sac in securing complete excision of the sac and proper closure of the defect is discussed. In initiating recurrence, the part played by the redundant peritoneum deep to the internal ring is emphasized. Changes in the dynamics of intraabdominal tension induced by stump embedding are explained.