[The evolutionary principles of inguinal hernioplasty through our personal experience]

Inguinal hernia is a multi-factorial pathologic condition. A constitutional weakness of transversalis fascia, probably genetically transmitted, represents a fundamental cause. Hernioplasty has evolved year by year from the "Bassini" to the "tension-free" techniques with Marlex or Prolene prosthesis, on the rational base of no tension on constitutionally weak structures. The data reported confirmed the absolute validity of "tension-free" hernioplasty.