Clinical Analysis of Recurrent Inguinal Hernias

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Recurrent inguinal hernia repairs provide a considerable technical challenge and greater risk of further recurrence. The purpose of this study was to establish a preventive method and management plan for recurrent inguinal hernia. METHODS: The medical records of adult having undergone an inguinal hernia operation at the Dankook university hospital, between June 1994 and December 2004, were analyzed. The patients' characteristics, types of hernia and operation methods were recorded. In the recurrent cases, the numbers and names of previous operation, types of recurrent hernia, and times to reoperation were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 470 inguinal hernia cases, 35 were operated on for a recurrent hernia. With the recurrent hernias, the operation times were longer and the use of general anesthesia was more frequent. Of the recurrent hernia types, direct hernias were the most frequent. More than half the recurrent hernias were operated on 5 years after the primary hernia repairs. The recurrent hernia was treated with or without a mesh in 33 (94.3%) and 2 cases (5.7%), respectively. In the previous operations, mesh had or had not been used in 30 (85.7%) and 5 cases (14.3%), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the recurrent hernia group, the most frequent type of previous repair was an operation without a mesh. A direct hernia was the most frequent type of recurrence. The recurrent hernias were mostly repaired using a mesh.