[Inguinal hernioplasty by a modified Shouldice technic. Our experience with 350 treated cases]

Abstract

A statistical analysis of 340 patients operated between 1986 and 1991 for inguinal hernia using the Shouldice procedure are reported by the authors. The majority of patients (60%) treated was between 45 and 65 years old. Two-hundred-eighty-one (82%) were controlled with a mean follow-up of 30 months (range 1-6 years) and was executed with physical examination and a medical questionnaire looking for recurring factors of risk. Hundred-twenty-eight patients (45% of controls) were at the high risk, nevertheless hernia recurrences were not noticed. Postoperative course was uncomplicated in 93% of patients. Early or late loco-regional complications had an incidence of 7%. Local infections and edema were reported in 10 of 22 patients. Acute urinary retention, cephalalgia and hypotension correlated with an anesthesiologic method had an incidence of 5% (17 cases). There were no deaths was pulmonary embolisms. A review of literature was performed and compared with our work. From experience in our Division, Shouldice's hospital technique had a high reliability compared to methods utilized in the previous ten years (Bassini, McNealy, Postemskj, Mugnai-Ferrari), in terms of recurrences.