[Inguinal hernia surgery under local anesthesia. Technical note and immediate results]

The authors report their experience on local anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair in 164 patients. They describe the neuroanatomy of the inguinal region as well as the technique of loco-regional anesthesia. The Shouldice repair was most frequently employed, followed by the Bassini repair. Local anesthesia was very well tolerated by the patients, sometimes with the addition of mild sedation. The postoperative course was definitely shortened by the use of local anesthesia, and all patients were able to take a regular diet and to walk few hours after surgery.