Background: The repair of recurrent inguinal hernias after prosthetic mesh repair is usually diffucult due to considerable technical challenge and complications. There is also a greater risk of developing further recurrence. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of preperitoneal repair (open posterior approach) for recurrent inguinal hernias after Lichtenstein tension-free hernioplasty.
Methods: We performed a prospective clinical study in 44 patients having recurrent inguinal hernias the period 2002- 2008. Preperitoneal repair was performed on all patients who have had Lichtenstein tension-free hernioplasty previously. The age, gender, operating time, hospital stay, postoperative complication rates and recurrence rates of patients were evaluated.
Results: There were no serious intraoperative complications. There were 36 men and 9 women in the study, whose average age was 38.45 (25-68) years. The average operative time and hospital stay were 44.56 (30-120) min and 1.6 (1-3) days, respectively. Complications included 4.5 % seromas, 4.5 % hematomas and urinary retention in 9.09 % patients. Follow-up to date is 1-90 months (range, median 40 months).
Conclusions: We concluded that the preperitoneal repair (open posterior approach) in recurrent inguinal hernias after Lichtenstein tension-free hernioplasty is a safe and efficient method with low complication and rerecurrence rates.
Keywords: Lichtenstein tension free hernioplasty; anterior approach; mesh repair; open posterior approach; preperitoneal repair; recurrent inguinal hernia.