Primary inguinal hernia: The open repair today pros and cons

Abstract

Open anterior repair for inguinal hernia offers several distinct advantages over endoscopic repair, especially when real-world effectiveness is taken into account. The learning curve for endoscopic techniques is long, whereas the Lichtenstein and other open tension-free techniques are easier to teach and replicate at all levels. The outcomes of Lichtenstein repairs for primary inguinal hernia as performed by non-experts and supervised residents are comparable to those of experts. Moreover, open tension-free repair does not require expensive instruments or dedicated equipment, other than the prosthetic mesh. As such, it is feasible in any operating room anywhere in the world with limited costs. In our opinion, the most important advantage offered by open tension-free repair is that it can be performed under local anesthesia. Nevertheless, local anesthesia has some disadvantages: it requires training, excellent knowledge of the anatomy and the necessary technique, patience, and gentle handling of the tissues. Open inguinal hernia repair is a procedure that every surgeon should know and be able to perform because it is necessary to treat two conditions, groin hernia recurrence after a posterior approach (both laparoscopic and open) and pubic inguinal pain syndrome.

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