[Five hundred outpatient hernioplasties using the Lichtenstein method].
The Lichtenstein repair method is an excellent and simple technique for hernia repair performed as a day-case procedure. A consecutive series of 500 ambulatory groin hernia repairs from 1994 to 2002 was studied. The mean follow-up for 84.6% of the patients was 2 years (range 6-86 months). There were no severe complications. The rate of clinically important wound haematomas (n=6, 1.2%) was low, as well as the numbers of testicular atrophies (n=1, 0.2%) and deep wound infection (n=1, 0.2%). We saw no thrombosis. There were 15 recurrences (3.5%). Ninety-six per cent of the patients were satisfied with the outpatient operation. In day-case surgery, conditions for the patients' treatment at home should be checked carefully by surgeons before the operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the number of day-case hernia repairs can be increased without severe complications. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis without problems under general anaesthesia. Increasing day-case surgery could significantly reduce the costs of health care.
Dieterich
K
K
Chirurgische Gemeinschaftspraxis und Praxisklinik, Siemensstrasse 6, 71254 Ditzingen, Germany. info@chirurgie-ditzingen.de
Eichhorn
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018579:Patient Selection; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors