Postoperative comfort after plug-and-patch repair of recurrent inguinal hernia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate postoperative comfort after the plug-and-patch repair.


METHODS
Prospective observational study.


METHODS
University hospital, Germany.


METHODS
From July 1995 until August 2000, 93 consecutive patients with recurrent inguinal hernia were operated on using the plug-and-patch technique.


METHODS
Postoperative comfort assessed by pain (visual analogue score), analgesic requirements, duration of hospital stay, and restriction of daily activities.


RESULTS
Postoperative pain decreased continuously from the morning of the first postoperative day (median VAS: 5.4; range 1.2-6.9) until day 13 (VAS <1). The median amount of analgesics given to the patients for 4 days was dipyrone 5.2 g (range 2.1-8.4). Median duration of hospital stay was 5 (2-14) days, limitation of daily activities 6 days (range 3-17) and 34 patients who were employed had returned to work after 21 days (range 8-42).


CONCLUSIONS
Plug-and-patch repair offers a high degree of comfort to patients with recurrent inguinal hernia.
Zieren
Jürgen
J
Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, Charité, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. juergen.zieren@charite.de
Neuss
Heiko
H
Philipp
Andrew W
AW
Müller
Jochen M
JM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011126:Polypropylenes; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013536:Suture Techniques
D011126:Polypropylenes