title: Cost-effective, reliable laparoscopic hernia repair: a report on 500 consecutive repairs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A series of 500 consecutive laparoscopic hernia repairs, performed by one surgeon, was studied to evaluate the procedure for reliability, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with routine, first-time, recurrent or multiply recurrent, inguinal hernias were operated using the technique described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recurrence rate was 0.2%. The complication rate was 0.6%. There were no deaths. Ninety-six percent of patients returned to work in 4-10 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is reliable, safe, and cost-effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and Treasure Valley Hospital, Boise, ID 83706, USA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Fazzio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007061:Idaho; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome